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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25120252">The Fighters (Persona 5 X Miraculous Ladybug)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaCreator/pseuds/JustaCreator'>JustaCreator</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug, Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Bee Ann Takamaki | Honeybee, Black Cat Akira Kurusu | Kuro, Classmates Bashing (Miraculous Ladybug), Classmates Being Idiots (Miraculous Ladybug), Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Deviates From Canon, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Fox Yusuke Kitagawa | Kitsune-Shi, I'm the only one who ships this, Lila Rossi Bashing, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Sweetheart, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better, Monkey Ryuji Sakamoto | Kong, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rarepair, What am I doing?, fake suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:55:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,947</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25120252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaCreator/pseuds/JustaCreator</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Oh Boy!! I can't wait to write this one! These specific types of fics are hard to come by (here is a gem I dug up: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22901833/chapters/54739732 you're welcome!). So, I decided to write this fic. I don't own anything other than the story and a few possible O.Cs of mine. This should be fun!</p><p>After Hawkmoth and Mayura were defeated by Ladybug and her team of superheroes, things didn't go as planned. Adrien went into grief and disappeared altogether. Marinette was being bullied by Lila and her former classmates. Kagami takes pity on poor Marinette and helps her move to Japan where she can get a fresh start. Marinette takes the Miracle box and all the Miraculous with her, hoping to never use them. She also fakes her suicide, to make sure no one will pursue her. She then settles into her new apartment in Shibuya and enrolls in the local high school, Shujin Academy. Marinette hopes to start a brand new life in Japan, but fate has other plans in mind. Join Marinette as she becomes a phantom thief of justice, makes new friends, and so much more!</p><p>A/N: I will update every friday!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Okumura Haru, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakura Futaba, Luka Couffaine/Kagami Tsurugi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Akira Kurusu, Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>223</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue: Sayonara Paris</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> "If it comes, let it come. If it goes, it's ok, let it go. Let things come and go. Stay calm, don't let anything disturb your peace, and carry on."  </em>― Germany Kent</p><p> </p><p>(third-person pov)</p><p> </p><p> A month... it had been a month since Hawkmoth and Mayura were finally put to justice. They were currently rotting in prison for what they have done. And now, things are different. Adrien/Cat Noir, after learning his father and Natalie were the hated villains, gave up his miraculous, and moved to London with his cousin and aunt. Meanwhile, Marinette (Performing her guardian duties) collected all of the Miraculous and returned them to the Miracle Box. But when it was all of that said and done, Marinette still had trouble. That trouble being Lila and the rest of Ms. Bustier's class. Marinette had endured the harassment/bullying for two years. But one day, Marinette snapped. </p><p> </p><p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p> I ran to Kagami's house, tears streaming down my cheeks. I had just gotten bullied by Lila and her goons again. But this time, I had gotten beat up. The bruises were still fresh on my body. The insults were still ringing in my ears and mind. I eventually made it to Kagami's house, out of breath and shaking. I rang the doorbell and waited for a response.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello?" Kagami's voice said through the speaker bellow the doorbell.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, Kagami, It's me, Marinette," I said into the microphone.</p><p> </p><p>"Mari? What are you doing here? Is there something I can do for you?" Kagami's voice asked,</p><p> </p><p>"Can I come in?" I asked.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll be right there, hold on!" She said. </p><p> </p><p> I sat down with my back to the house wall, trying to wipe up my tears. Kagami Opened the door a minute later and saw me sitting next to the door, battered and bruised, trying to stem the flow of tears. I looked up at her and saw a look of anger, sadness, and shock.</p><p>"Mari?" She asked.</p><p>"Yeah?" I answered.</p><p>"Come in." She said, helping me up. Luka was also there. I can't say I'm surprised, I knew they have been dating ever since The Miraculous team defeated Hawkmoth and Mayura.</p><p>"MARI?! Oh my god! What happened?" He asked.</p><p>"I'll tell you when we get inside," I answered while Kagami walked me inside. </p><p> </p><p> After Kagami took me to the living room and sat me on a couch, she and Luka sat on the one opposite, I told them everything. I never told them about the bullying in detail, just that I get treated poorly by my classmates. But now, I told them every single thing that has happened. All the insults, stollen items, and recent beatings that have ever happened to me, I poured the information out with fresh tears streaming down my cheeks. When I was done, both of my friends looked like they were gonna murder someone.</p><p>"What can I do?" I asked in despair. Luka walked over to me and embraced me, like a brother. Kagami let out a frustrated sigh.</p><p>"We can't do anything illegal, Kagami! I know what your thinking!" Luka said, still consoling me. Kagami sighed and looked down, she was thinking hard. I calmed down with Luka's help, and he even treated the bruise that was on my left cheek. Then Kagami looked up with a spark in her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>(A/N: Warning! I am going to use google translate. I can't write in Japanese!) </p><p> </p><p> "マリさん、あなたの日本語は？" (Mari, how is your Japanese?) Kagami asked.</p><p>"あなたのレッスンのおかげでそれはまともです。 どうして?" (It's decent thanks to your lessons. Why?) I answered. Luka looked confused, and I can't blame him. He hasn't had the months of daily Japanese lessons I had.</p><p>"Well, I think I can give you what you need," Kagami said with a glint in her eye.</p><p>"Kagami, what are you thinking?" Luka asked.</p><p>"I think I can give Mari the reset she needs!" Kagami answered.</p><p>"Reset?" I asked.</p><p>"I have some connections in Japan, I think I can send you there!" Kagami said. I was shocked, me? Going to a foreign country? To get away from some bullies? That seems a little extreme. I told Kagami as much, and she just sighed. </p><p> </p><p> "Mari, I can't see any other way other than changing your name and appearance. Lila is powerful, and she can manipulate people in a way I only thought possible in fiction. Unless you can find a way to turn the tables on Lila, this is the only legal option that I can offer." Kagami told me.</p><p>"Mari, I hate to admit it, but Kagami has a point," Luka said, returning to Kagami's side. I thought about it. Is it extreme? Yes! Is it necessary? Probably not. Does it have perks? You bet it does! Japan is such a unique place! It not only has a plethora of history and traditions, but it also has a rich culture and wondrous places. I always wanted to visit, but between school, superhero work, and life in general, I could never go. </p><p> </p><p> "Ok, let's say I agree. How do we go about this?" I asked.</p><p>"Getting you an apartment and enrolled in a school shouldn't be a problem. But Lila and the others will most likely follow you where ever you go." Kagami said.</p><p>"You're right, how do we make sure they don't follow me?" I asked.</p><p>"Fake your suicide?" Luka suggested. Kagami and I stared at him.</p><p>"It was honestly the first thing that came to mind! I'm sorry!" He said, trying to defend himself.</p><p>"If we can't think of anything else, that may be the only option," Kagami said. I gave her the 'WTF' look.</p><p>"IF we can't think of anything else, Mari!" She said with her arms raised. I sighed. "<em> Please let there be a better way! </em>" I thought. </p><p> </p><p>(Timeskip! Brought to you by Tiki's cookies!)</p><p> </p><p> Turns out, the whole 'faking suicide' plan was the only one that was foolproof! We tried to come up with another idea, but we agreed that faking my suicide would yield the result we wanted. Kagami and Luka knew I possessed all the miraculous, so staging my suicide would be easy. The only problems were how to deal with the aftermath, and who to let in on the plan. We agreed that the fewer people who knew about the plot, the better. We decided that only my and Kagami's parents will know about this. We also needed a way to actually faking it. We could either do an illusion with the fox or a teleporting trick with the horse. Eventually, we decided that the fox would be a better and safer option. </p><p> </p><p> We all did our parts! Kagami handled the plane, apartment, and school arrangements. I told my parents (who were very sad, but supportive) about what we were up to, and wrote my suicide note. Luka was the one who would handle the illusion, thanks to the Fox Miraculous. We planned out every detail, from the date to the site of my suicide. Then after a week of planning and preparation, we put our plan in motion on the night we had agreed upon. I used the horse to teleport to the airport after saying goodbye to my parents and placing my note for them to 'discover' later. I texted Luka, who was standing by at the Millau viaduct, that it was time. He cast the illusion as the private jet that Kagami had rented for my getaway took off. I took a look at the Parisian skyline one last time as I flew away and said:</p><p>"Sayonara Paris." </p><p> </p><p>(Third person pov) </p><p> </p><p> <em> "Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Now, I have some unfortunate news to share with my viewers tonight as it concerns the death of a young girl. We have permission from the girl's parents to share her name, pictures, and the note she left. Now, onto the news. Last night at 9:21 pm, the fifteen-year-old Marinette Dupian-cheng committed suicide by jumping off the Millau viaduct bridge. Her suicide note was found in the morning by her parents, who searched her room after she did not come down for breakfast.  </em></p><p>
  <em> Here is what the note read: </em>
</p><p> </p><p> <strong> <em> I'm sorry everyone, I just can't take it anymore! I can't take all the ridicule and beatings anymore! I am so disappointed in everyone. Everyone in Collège Françoise Dupont, I am so sad you took the word of a stranger over the word of a trusted friend. Mom and Dad, I'm sorry I did this to you, but this was my only escape from everything. Lila, we could have been friends, but you were a lier. You lied to every single one of my classmates. You told them twisted truths and manipulated them in the worst possible way. I don't want anyone to feel at fault for my death, it is my choice after all. Goodbye, everyone, I'm so sorry.  </em> </strong></p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em> Marinette </em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p> <em> A funeral service is being held this weekend for poor Marinette. It is open to the public for anyone who wants to pay their respects. Can we all have a moment of silence for Marinette Duipan-cheng? For the girl whose life had been lost to suicide." </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1: My New Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and Mari's room looks like this: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=Awr9ImLNgwxfFQMA7QtXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0NXUybmw3BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQzAwOTRfMQRzZWMDcGl2cw--?p=pink+japan+room&amp;fr2=piv-web&amp;fr=mcafee&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tL3NlYXJjaD9mcj1tY2FmZWUmdHlwZT1FMjEwVVM5MTA4OEcwJnA9cGluaytqYXBhbityb29t&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJHPwe-Kpqk2pZkMc0aV6eGup0pDf9dCg_XiAdB8H87-G8KAk5G-QrH1_F-JXjrqdVhCYKkUozZzhVMdSokRuWsviTvqeJqIubcQrtbTE_j9ObFwqh_PbbiPsUE8z3-jcZbOqvebywiKWJGDLj13j8UZ8MN_fVE3i9J6MjmiZNdR&amp;_guc_consent_skip=1594655727#id=5&amp;iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fef%2F1e%2F8c%2Fef1e8c24b48d6c00fa3ac8eb2ef424f1.jpg&amp;action=click</p><p>and my headcanon is that Bridgette is half Chinese, part English, part Irish, part Scottish, and part Welsh! Fight me!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Mari's pov)</p><p> I sighed as I snuggled into my new kotatsu, tired from all the furniture moving I did. It took me about the whole day to set everything up the way I liked it. Everything was pretty and pink, just the way I wanted it. Just when I was getting comfortable, I remembered the Miricle Box. I groaned as I got up and walked over to the cardboard box that held my most prized possession. Kagami said I needed to take a few things with me, so I took the Miricle box and a few other things that I couldn't live without. I opened the cardboard box and dug around in the foam peanuts for the Miracle Box. When I finally found it, I pulled it out of the box. </p><p> It was red with black spots, like a ladybug. It was even as round and smooth as a ladybug. Yes, I am aware of the irony of that statement. I walked back over to the kotatsu and placed the box on top of it. I knocked on the top of it three times to single the Kwamis that it was okay to come out. The Kwamis came bursting out, doing all sorts of tricks and flips in the air. Also, in case you were wondering, Luka did return the Fox Miraculous. I sent Kaalki to collect it from him. All the Kwamis danced and flew around me, trying to get my attention.</p><p>"Guuuuuuyyyssssss! Let me snuggle back into my kotatsu! Then I'll give you guys whatever you want!" I whined. They all left me alone long enough for me to get comfortable in my kotatsu before asking me tons of questions. </p><p> "Are you alright?"</p><p>"Why are we in Japan?"</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>"Where's the food?" I held up my hand, silencing them.</p><p>"Guys, I'm fine. We are in Japan because it was my only escape. Food is in the mini-fridge in the corner. Also, you knew what happened!" I told them. Plagg and a few others went to the mini-fridge to see what was inside. A few explored my new apartment. Tiki, Pollen, and the remaining Kwamis flew over to me and snuggled up with me.</p><p>"Mari, I'm so happy you got out of France. You seem better now, and you have only been here for about a day." Tiki said happily. I nodded. Tomorrow, I will go to my new school, Shujin academy! I can't wait to meet new people and make new friends! But, I wonder how everyone is doing back in Paris? They're probably fine! Probably didn't even care about my "suicide". </p><p>(Meanwhile in Paris) <br/>(third-person pov)</p><p> It was raining over the city of love. It was a gloomy day, how fitting. In Père-Lachaise Cemetery, there was a funeral taking place. The funeral for a young girl named Marinette Dupain-cheng. Only a few people were there. There were Marinette's parents, her grandparents, her aunt, uncle, and cousin who live in London, and a few friends. Those friends were Kagami, Luka, and Adrien. Adrien's aunt and cousin Felix were also there to support Adrien. Adrien was devastated, how could he not be? His friend, Marinette, killed herself. Granted, she had been dealing with abuse from Lila and her classmates for about a year or two. Well, that just made him even madder. He looked around, none of her classmates so much as came out to say goodbye. </p><p> Adrien wasn't that surprised. If they had shone up Mari's cousin, Bridgette Cheng would yell and curse them out of the Cemetary. Speaking of Bridgette, Adrien has never seen her this shattered before. She's generally so cheerful and carefree. But, she looks like a zombie. Felix had told Adrien that Bridgette loved Mari a lot. They were best friends when they were little kids. Bridgette always saw Mari as a sister. But when Bridgette heard her cousin was dead, she was so distraught that she spent a night and a day crying her eyes out. Adrien never felt more sorry for anyone. </p><p> When the speeches were done, every one, one by one, walked up to the grave to say their goodbye.</p><p>"Goodbye, Sweetheart,"</p><p>"Goodbye, Mari,"</p><p>"Farewell, my lady," As the funeral came to a close and everyone was walking away, one person who was still by the grave. It was Bridgette. Her parents asked her to come, but she asked to stay for a bit longer and that she'll see them at the Cemetary entrance. As they walked away, Bridgette fell to her knees before the grave of her late cousin.</p><p>"Mari... I promise... that those who made you jump off that bridge... will pay..." She whispered in a quiet voice. </p><p>(Back to Japan!)<br/>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> Why did I just get a shiver down my spine? That was creepy! Anyways, I should probably get dinner and go to sleep. I do have school tomorrow! I got up and walked over the next room, that was also the kitchen. I whipped up some ramen for me and a batch of cookies and other little snacks for the kwamis. I can't wait for tomorrow! This will be my restart, my new beginning. Nothing can stop me now!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2: Shujin Academy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>I was so excited! I was skipping to school in the rain, holding my pink umbrella aloft. I hummed a random tune as I went. I wore the Shujin academy uniform with my hair done up in a high ponytail. I rounded a corner to find my new school waiting for me. I skipped to the front gates with a bright smile on my face. Some students were giving me odd looks, but I didn't care. I stopped at the front gates and looked around at the students milling about in the rain. I looked at my watch and realized that it was almost time for my first-period class. I walked up to the front door and opened it. I looked around and spotted a woman who I guessed was a teacher. </p><p> </p><p>"Excuse me, but are you a teacher?" I asked.</p><p>"Yes, I am. Are you one of the new transfer students?" She asked. I nodded, and she smiled.</p><p>"That's great! I'm Ms. Kawakami, it's nice to meet you!"</p><p>"Thank you, I'm Marinette," I said with a smile.</p><p>"Ok, umm, Makoto!" Ms. Kawakamil called a female student over.</p><p>"What is it, miss?" Makoto asked.</p><p>"This is one of the new transfer students, mind showing her around?" Ms. Kawakami asked.</p><p>"Sure," Makoto answered. Makoto turned to me and introduced herself. I did the same, and she showed me around the school. I told her at the beginning that my Japanese might be pour, but she just shrugged it off and said that it was ok. </p><p> </p><p>I was told at the end of my tour that there was another transfer student was arriving today. 'Cool! Another new friend!' I thought. Though, I didn't see him till the fifth-period. I heard throughout the day that he apparently has a criminal record. Which I thought was weird, can a sixteen-year-old even have a criminal record? (A/n: Both Mari and Akira are 16) When I asked why and how he got a criminal record, I got vague answers, which kind of infuriated me. I wanted answers, so I decided to get them from the man in question! </p><p> </p><p>When he showed up for the fifth-period, I was excited. He walked towards his seat, which was right in front of mine. When he was close, I smiled and waved at him. He looked confused, which I couldn't blame him for. I simply giggled and gestured to the seat in front of me. He sat down after giving me another odd look. In the middle of the lesson, the teacher was saying something, and the boy wasn't paying attention. I decided to be helpful and poked him in the back. He looked around at me, and I just pointed to the front. The teacher threw a stick of chalk at him to get his attention following me pointed to the front of the class. With cat-like reflexes, the boy caught the chalk. Everyone looked shocked, except me, who smiled and gave the boy in front of me a thumbs up. </p><p> </p><p>After class, I caught up with him in the halls.</p><p>"Hi!" I greeted him.</p><p>"Hello?" He responded.</p><p>"I never caught your name, what is it?" I asked.</p><p>"It's Akira Kurusu," He answered.</p><p>"Ok, Akira-chan, I'm Marinette, we have some time before our next class, why don't we get to know each other?" I suggested. He looked confused.</p><p>"Why?" He asked.</p><p>"I'm curious about you, I want to see if any of the rumors I've been hearing are true!" I answered sweetly. He looked at me, then smiled.</p><p>"Alright, lets head to that bench over there." He pointed to a bench that we were approaching. After we sat down, I asked him the question that had been really bothering me.</p><p>"How did you get a criminal record?" He sighed and started to explain.</p><p>"It was late at night, I was walking home from a friends house when I heard a ruckus. A drunk guy was harassing a woman, I decided to step in. Turns out that drunk guy was a big-shot politician, he sued me for assault, when in reality, I just pushed him away from the woman. Now, I'm here, punished for doing what I thought was right." </p><p> </p><p>When he finished his story, I was <em> pissed </em>. This innocent guy, who was really friendly and polite, was going through hell because a lousy politician didn't want any dirt on his name! I stood up and turned to Akira.</p><p>"Well, I doubt we can do anything about the past, but we can always write the future! Starting today, I'm your new friend here at Shujin academy!" I said while extending my hand to him. He made eye-contact with me, smiled, and took my outstretched hand. We walked to our next class, talking, laughing, and ignoring the students around us who were staring and whispering. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Bridgette's bloody revenge! Bridgette put down that knife!) </p><p> </p><p>When school ended, I went to looking for Akira. I wanted to walk him home. I wanted to know more about him. I found him with another boy behind the school, is he making more friends? I walked up behind Akira and tapped him on the shoulder. He whipped around in surprise.</p><p>"Mari-san?!" He said.</p><p>"Hey, Akira-chan! Who is this?" I asked, pointing to the blonde boy who looked equally surprised.</p><p>"This is a friend of mine, Sakamoto Ryuji. We met this morning on the way to school." Akira explained. I looked Ryuji up and down. He looked like your stereotypical delinquent/bully. But as they say, you can't judge a book by its cover!</p><p> </p><p>I put out my hand in a handshake and smiled at the boy.</p><p>"Hi, Ryuji-kun! I'm Marinette! I hope we can be friends!" I said to the blonde. Ryuji looked confused, but he smiled and shook my hand. Then, I remembered that they were whispering earlier.</p><p>"By the way, What were you two talking about earlier?" I asked. The two boys froze. Ok, now I'm curious!</p><p>"It was... uh... boy stuff, Mari-san!" Ryuji said nervously. I gave him a 'are you serious?' look, then Akira cut in.</p><p>"It's private, Mari-chan," He said.</p><p>"Well, ok, if you insist." I sighed.</p><p>"I was wondering if we could walk home together?" I added, remembering the reason why I was looking for Akira, to begin with.</p><p>"That would be nice, but I have to take the train to get back home." He said. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, that's ok! My apartment is on the way to the train station!" I said. I turned to Ryuji.</p><p>"Want to come with?" I offered.</p><p>"Sure!" He said. As we walked home, my new friends and I talked about things that interested us. I spoke about my french and Chinese heritage, Akira talked about books he liked, and Ryuji blabbered all about his favorite ramen and beef bowl restaurants. When we reached my apartment building, we bid our farewells.</p><p>"It was nice talking to you guys!" I said.</p><p>"No problem! See you tomorrow!" Ryuji said. Akira smiled and waved. I waved goodbye to my two friends and walked inside my apartment complex. </p><p> </p><p>I made my way to my apartment, thinking about the day. I thought about my classes, the school, and the students. I remembered one odd thing to the coach. I think his name was Suguru Kamoshida? I remember walking down the hall to my second-period class, I saw him in the overcrowded hallway with me. We made eye-contact, and the look in his eyes gave me the creeps. I think he was the volleyball team coach? But, I noticed that the members of the volleyball team had bruises! They told me they got the injuries from volleyball practice when I asked them about it. But, that just didn't make any sense! Did they give each other the bruises, or did Kamoshida hurt them? In every way I thought about it, Kamoshida was a bad coach! But it's only my first day, I'm sure I'm overthinking it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Save them..."  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I whipped around in fright. What was that? I heard a voice whisper behind me in french. Save them? From what? I was so confused! I reached my apartment and made sure to lock the door. The Kwamis greeted me when I entered my room. "How was your first day of school?" Tiki asked. "Let me prepare dinner first, then I'll tell you about my day!" I told them. </p><p> </p><p>One cooking montage later! </p><p> </p><p>"-and they even walked with me back here!" I finished. I was eating dinner with the kwamis while telling them about my day.</p><p>"I'm glad you are happy at your new school, and I'm happy you made some new friends!" Tiki said.</p><p>"But you aren't telling us the whole truth." She added.</p><p>"hmm?" I muttered with a full mouth of tuna sushi.</p><p>"Sugarcube is right, what are you hiding?" Plagg asked while munching on cheese-flavored chips.</p><p>"H-how do you know if I'm hiding anything at all?" I asked in defiance.</p><p>"Mari, do I have have to remind you that we are literal gods and constellations?" Wayzz asked. </p><p> </p><p>"Good point... Ok, here's the thing..." I sighed.</p><p>"On my way here, while I was thinking about that weird coach I told you guys about, I heard a voice that said: save them."</p><p>"What did the voice sound like?" Plagg asked.</p><p>"I don't know, I guess I would say it was old fashioned? It sounded noble and brave, but feminine. It was definitely french because it spoke in French." I told them. All the kwamis looked like they were in deep thought. "Mari, go do your homework. We are going to have a Kwami meeting!" Tiki said. I nodded and headed to my room, knowing better than to interrupt them. </p><p> </p><p>(Tiki's pov) </p><p> </p><p>I looked around at my fellow kwamis. We have seen the universe go through so much, and it is always changing. But we all remember a phenomenon like this, oh how we remember.</p><p>"Tiki, do you think Igor is..." Plagg didn't need to finish that sentence. We all knew Igor was playing another game.</p><p>"You don't think that he would drag master into this, do you?" Nooroo asked.</p><p>"Nooroo, you know Igor. He would do anything to make his games more interesting." Trixxs said.</p><p>"You're not wrong Trixx, He is a sly man." Plagg agreed. While the Kwamis talked and debated, I thought hard. Igor knows better than to drag the miraculous into his games. He learned that one the hard way when first started to play these games. But, I knew this isn't like the last few times. Something, rotten, was brewing in Japan. I told my peers my suspicions, and they all fell silent. </p><p>I could tell they were concentrating.</p><p>"Now that you mention it, I can feel it too!" Pollen said. The other Kwamis agreed that something terribly wrong was afoot.</p><p>"I wish we could talk to Igor about this, but that velvet room of his is always moving around!" Plagg growled in frustration.</p><p>"I think we should trust Igor," I said. The other kwamis looked incredulous.</p><p>"Tiki, is that wise?" Pollen asked.</p><p>"It's probably the only thing we can do. We may be gods, but we shouldn't metal in Igor's game. No matter how much we want to." I said with finality. The other Kwamis sighed, knowing better than to fight me. They all retreated to the Miricle box, except for Plagg and me.</p><p>"Igor better hope that Mari doesn't get killed in this game of his!" He said.</p><p>"Right, sugar cube?" I didn't answer.</p><p>"Sugar cube?" He asked, trying to get my attention. I was deep in thought. Akira... That was the name of the boy Mari mentioned. I had sensed mighty cognitive power when Mari came home. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> So, Igor. You have found a trickster. I hope he proves up to the task you have in mind for him. But why do you want him to interact with our Marinette?  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3: Into the Metaverse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/Princess-mask-849461805</p><p>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/Princess-costume-849462019</p><p>This is Mari's costume and mask, please don't flame my art, I know it's bad!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Mari's pov)</p><p> </p><p>Over the next two days, things seemed to be just fine. I did my work, I studied, and did my best to bond with my new friends. Then, after the sports rally thing for the volleyball team, my life had been thrown into wack by a strange occurrence. How do I keep winding up in these situations? First, the miraculous now whatever this is?! </p><p> </p><p>I was walking around the school, looking for my friends. </p><p>It was the end of the school day, and I wanted to see if we could hang out. I spotted them behind the school, they were talking. I made my way towards them when I noticed that there was a cat with them. They then pulled out their phones, and the cat meowed adorably. I love cats! I was about to call out to them when the world around me started to shift weirdly. Suddenly the school transformed into a castle! The sky turned red! I was so confused! </p><p> </p><p>I turned to my friends and called out to them.</p><p>"Akira-chan!? Ryuji-kun?!" The two boys turned to me in surprise. Their outfits also caught me off guard. Ryuji was wearing a stereotypical biker's outfit with a mask that looked like a metal skull! Akira, on the other hand, was wearing a black jacket that had a tail that went down to his ankles! He also had bright red gloves on his hands and a white mask that showed of his pretty dark eyes.</p><p>"Mari-san? What are you doing here?" Ryuji asked as I ran over to them.</p><p>"I was about to ask you guys if we could hang out later, but now I just wanna know where the hell I am!" I told them.</p><p>"Who's this?" A voice asked. </p><p> </p><p>I turned to the sound of the voice and was alarmed when I found out who it was. A bipedal, black, and white, bandana-wearing cat was staring at me.</p><p>"What the- why is there a cat? Why is it talking? Why does it look like that?" I was freaking out, to say the least. I barely heard Akira telling the thing my name. I mentally and physically shook myself, this was not the time to get into a mental breakdown!</p><p>"Nice to meet you, Marinette-chan, I'm Morgana!" The cat said to me.</p><p>"Nice to meet you to Morgana, but that doesn't explain how in the name of God I got here," I said.</p><p>"You must have gotten accidentally sucked in by the nav app," Ryuji said. "The nav app is the app on our phones that allows us to come and go to the metaverse." He added.</p><p>"Ok, what is the Metaverse?" I asked.</p><p> </p><p>The two boys and the cat explained everything to me. The Metaverse, palaces, personas, treasures, all of it!</p><p>"So, to sum it up," I said.</p><p>"You two accidentally stumbled into the Metaverse a few days ago. Trough the Metaverse, you discovered Mr. Kamoshida's abuse of the volleyball team. Now, you guys are gonna steal his treasure as the Phantom thieves to make him have a change of heart and confess all of his sins. Am I missing anything?"</p><p>"That pretty much covers it," Morgana said.</p><p>"Don't tell anyone," Akira said.</p><p>"I don't plan to," I said. The boys all sighed, but I added:</p><p>"Because I'm joining you," The Phantom Thieves before me spluttered in surprise. </p><p> </p><p>"What?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"I'm joining you guys as your fellow Phantom Thief," I said calmly.</p><p>"Mari-chan, there are large risks that are included in this job. Life-threatening risks. This is not something you want to be part of." Akira said.</p><p>"Well, I am not gonna stand by while Kamoshida does whatever he damn well pleases to my fellow students!" I yelled.</p><p>"I know how to defend myself. I might not look it, but I'm rather strong. Please, I can't let a man like that go unchecked if I have the power to bring him to justice!" The boys looked at me in shock.</p><p>"You have spirit, I'll give you that. But, as Joker said before, this is a dangerous job. Are you sure you want to proceed?" Morgana asked.</p><p>"Yes. Also, is Joker Akira-chan's code-name or something?" I asked. </p><p> </p><p>"You catch on quickly! Yes, The Phantom Thieves have code names. Mine is Mona, Ryuji's Skull, and Akira is Joker!" Morgana explained.</p><p>"Ok then, let's go!" I said, about head into the castle, that was also the school.</p><p>"Hold on!" Ryuji said, pulling me back.</p><p>"You can't exactly fight in there, so you are gonna have to go on support." He told me. I sighed, at least I can help in a small way. We entered the palace through the secret entrance and wandered around for a while. I wonder how the Phantom Thieves do their thing. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author's laziness!)  </p><p> </p><p>Why is everything happening all at once? One moment, we were taking down shadows effortlessly. Then, when we came across a treasure chest, opened it up and suddenly alarms blared, and shadows appeared out of nowhere! We tried fighting, but we were overwhelmed. The boys were pinned to the ground while a guard held me in place. Then, Kamoshida appeared. He had glowing yellow eyes, a golden crown on his head, and a royal cloak draped over his shoulders.</p><p>"Heh, well, look at that! The trap worked!" He said, laughing. He looked down at my friends.</p><p>"Serves you right for wandering around my castle as you did!" He then turned to me.</p><p>"Oh, look! You even got a lady to join you! How nice~." He said. He walked over to me and reached for my face. </p><p> </p><p>"Stop! Don't touch her!" Akira shouted. Kamoshida turned to him.</p><p>"Guard, make him shut up," He said. The guard grabbed Akira's head and forced it onto the ground. Akira let out a cry of pain that angered me even more.</p><p>"Now then, let's take this lovely la-" Kamoshida started, but I cut him off.</p><p>"No!" I yelled. I kicked the guard that was holding me so hard that he flew into a nearby wall. I turned to the Kamoshida.</p><p>"Kamoshida, you are a sick, twisted, horrid excuse for a man! You enjoy making people suffer, you bask in their misery! I hate people like you, who think that they are beyond consequence! I won't let you or anyone else hurt my friends ever again!" I screamed. </p><p> </p><p>"<em> So... my waiting has come to an end, </em> " A voice in my head said. I recognized that voice, it was the same voice that told me to save them. As soon as I made the connection, pain shot through my body. I felt like my body was on fire! I writhed and screamed in pain. All I could hear was the voice.</p><p>" <em> My dear fleur, your friends are hurt. What will you do? Will you choose the high road again? Or take action? You have represented hope once before, why not pick up that mantle again? To help guide your friends, let us create a contract. Call my name, and destroy those who block your way! </em>" </p><p> </p><p>"You're right..." I said to the voice. The pain vanished as soon as it appeared. A mask appeared on my face. I grabbed ahold of it and ripped it off my face. It was painful, it felt like ripping off my own skin! And judging from the wetness I felt on my face, I probably did. A burst of light blue fire surrounded me, I heard my name being called. When the blue flames died out, a giant stood behind me. A beautiful brunette woman on a white stallion stood there looking both regal and dangerous. The woman wore silver armor and held a silver sword in one hand and a white banner in the other. The flag was embroidered with Fleur-de-lis symbols. It also had the names <em> Jhesus  </em> and  <em> Maria  </em>embroidered on it. As well as a picture of two angels and a man with a brown beard. </p><p> </p><p>I wore an outfit that bore the pride of my heritage. It had pink Chinese sleeves and a pink skirt, as well as a red french top with black spots, red french leggings with black spots, red velvet gloves, and french leather boots. A pink silk fan was in my left hand and a red rifle with a golden dragon's head in my right hand.</p><p>"I will protect them... I will inspire them... So let's get 'em! Joan of Arc!" I yelled, pointing at Kamoshida and the guards that were holding my friends down. Joan lifted her sword towards the soldiers, and a barrage of light arrows came raining down on the guards. The guards dissolved, and my friends were free. The light arrows didn't hurt my friends at all. </p><p> </p><p>"Thanks!" Ryuji said.</p><p>"No problem!" I responded. Akira smiled at me. I felt a weird sensation in my stomach, must be the thrill of battle! Kamoshida retreated behind more guards that appeared out of nowhere. The addition of Joan to the arsenal of personas proved to be very valuable. She had the unique ability to increase different stats every other turn. In the end, I can proudly say that we diminished Kamoshida's forces by a fair margin. We fled after reinforcements were coming. When we escaped, I fully realized what I was wearing.</p><p>"What the-?" I examined my outfit, I can't lie, I looked amazing! </p><p> </p><p>"Looks like you unlocked your persona!" Mona said.</p><p>"I guess I did," I responded.</p><p>"Joan of Arc... what a persona!" Joker said.</p><p>"Yeah!" I said. Then I realized something else.</p><p>"Wait, does this mean I can officially be a part of the Phantom Thieves?" I asked with excitement.</p><p>"I... guess?" Skull said.</p><p>"I don't see why not!" Joker said.</p><p>"But what's your code-name?" Mona asked.</p><p>"Princess?" Joker suggested.</p><p>"Princess... I like that!" I said.</p><p>"Cool! Let's go with that!" Skull said.</p><p>"Then it's settled. Welcome to the Phantom Thieves Princess!" Mona said. I smiled at my friends, I knew it was the right desition to come to Japan! I wonder what the future has in store for me? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here is another chapter because I want to publish this and I feel nice today!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4: The Panther's Rage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A.K.A: When Ann joins the Phantom Thieves!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Akira's pov) </p><p>(Holy crap! We get to see his point of view finally!) </p><p> </p><p>Oh, how the universe loves to mess with me! First, I get sued for assault when I was doing something I know was right! Then, I get pulled into the Metaverse and became a Phantom Thief. What did I do to deserve this? Almost everyone ignores me or is afraid of me! Well, there is Ryuji, he is in the same boat as me. Then there is Marinette. She approached me when no one else would. Not out of pity, but out of sheer kindness. I wonder what drew her to me? Was it my good looks? Or my natural charm? It probably was neither of those, but a boy can dream! </p><p> </p><p>I barely met her a few days ago, but it felt like longer. She's so sweet and friendly. She told me that she grew up in a bakery in Paris, France. It sounded so lovely, but why would she want to leave? Why would she abandon a peaceful life in the city of love for a place like Japan? Maybe she needed a change in scenery? I hate not knowing! I was thinking all of this and more as I lay in my bed in LaBlanc Cafe's attic. Morgana lay on my chest, purring slightly. There was also that thing with Ann. She is pretty, but Kamoshida should really back off. She is also a minor, and that is ten times as creepy. I really hope he doesn't go after Marinette. Why does my mind always go back to her? </p><p> </p><p>Mari was very extraordinary, there's no denying that. But how is she extraordinary? Was it her looks? Her personality? Why am I so hung up about this? Maybe I do need to go to sleep. I have school tomorrow, and I need to rest. As I fell into unconsciousness, I remembered the look Mari gave me when she offered the seat in front of her. I will never forget that smile. Yet I wonder... What had hurt her so much that she would feel inclined to protect her friends so ferociously? </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Morgana telling Akira to go to sleep!) </p><p> </p><p>The day began as it usually would, with Ryuji and Mari greeting me at the gates. We talked and smiled as we made our way to our classes. I was looking forward to the end of the day, where the Phantom Thieves can truly shine! But something just had to happen! We were just sitting in class, listening to the teacher. Then there were the sounds of screams and shouts. Mari and I exchanged looks, what was going on? Then, we heard someone shouting about a girl jumping. Mari looked panicked, but Ann lept out of her seat and ran into the hallway outside. Mari and I followed, both curious and panicked. </p><p> </p><p>Mari and I poked our heads through the crowd, only to see a body fall past it. Mari screamed and ran to the courtyard dragging Ryuji and me with her. Also, Ryuji was in the same hallway as us. Ann also booked it to the court because, apparently, the girl who jumped was her best friend, Shiho. An ambulance was called, we saw Shiho being loaded up. Ann was talking to her, she was crying. Shiho was then loaded into the ambulance and driven to the hospital. I looked over at Mari, tears were coming out of her eyes. Ryuji, who was beside her as well, looked angry.</p><p>"Kamoshida..." He growled.</p><p>"What did that bastard do to that girl?!" Mari was too shocked for words. Then, without warning, Ryuji ran full speed to Kamoshida's office. I ran after him, hoping to stop him before he does anything stupid. </p><p> </p><p>(Mari's pov) </p><p> </p><p>I... I couldn't believe it... A girl just attempted suicide... I recognized the girl as one of the volleyball team members. Did Kamoshida do something to the girl? I saw a blonde girl with pigtails talk to the girl. I recognized her as Ann Takamaki, the girl who sat in front of Akira. I barely registered Ryuji's anger or him running off with Akira and another boy on his tail. I saw Ann fall to her knees, sobbing. I walked towards her and gently grabbed her shoulder. She looked up at me with red eyes.</p><p>"Hey..." I whispered gently.</p><p>"Come on, we need to get back to class," She nodded. I helped her up and walked her back to class. She quietly cried all the way back to the classroom. </p><p> </p><p>I did my best to comfort the girl, but I was a bit in shock myself. Did my classmates have a similar reaction to my "suicide"? Did they break down crying? I mentally shook myself, they probably didn't care at all! I just need to focus on Ann. She needs my full attention, I don't need my past to bother me at a time like this! I wonder where Ryuji and Akira went? I hope they didn't do anything reckless! </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Felix and Adrien trying to hold a murderous Bridgette back while Lila cowers in a corner!) </p><p> </p><p>I should have known! Ryuji is too reckless! Why did he do that? I stood in shock at my two friends, who just told me that they were probably gonna get expelled because they talked smack to Kamoshida.</p><p>"Oh, great! Just great!" I said, plopping down onto a nearby bench.</p><p>"Well, looks like we have to speed things up!" Morgana said, jumping out of Akira's bag and onto a table.</p><p>"No, kidding," Ryuji said.</p><p>"What's going on?" A voice asked. We all whipped around, and Morgana dove under the table. Ann Takamaki walked into view with a curious look on her face.</p><p>"What do you want?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"Hey, Ann-chan!" I greeted.</p><p>"Mari-chan? What are you doing with these guys?" Ann asked.</p><p>"They're good company, despite their looks and the rumors," I answered. </p><p> </p><p>"Seriously, Takamaki, what do you want?" Ryuji asked with impatience.</p><p>"I heard you guys talking, you're planning to take down Kamoshida, aren't you?" She said. I raised my eyebrows with surprise, and Ryuji stiffed slightly. Akira maintained his poker face and said:</p><p>"And if we are?"</p><p>"I want in," Ann responded.</p><p>"Wait, what?" Ryuji spluttered.</p><p>"I want revenge for Shiho, she was my best friend!" Ann said with tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Ryuji looked like he was gonna say something, but I cut him off.</p><p>"I don't see why not!" The three looked at me in surprise.</p><p>"Are you being serious, Mari-san?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"I am being serious, Ryuji-kun. Why shouldn't she join us?" I answered.</p><p>"Akira-san, What's do you think we should do?" Ryuji asked with a sigh. </p><p> </p><p>Akira looked to Ryuji, then to Ann, Then to me. He sighed and asked Ann:</p><p>"Are you sure you want to do this, Ann?"</p><p>"Yes, Kamoshida needs to pay for what he has done!" Ann answered. Akira nodded and looked at me.</p><p>"Well, let's show her," he said. Ryuji looked indigent but knew better than to argue. We then took Ann Takamaki to the Metaverse. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's writer's block!) </p><p> </p><p>"How did you let her be captured?" I asked the blonde with anger in my eyes.</p><p>"I don't know! A guard surprised us, and Ann got dragged away in the chaos!" Skull responded. Joker sighed,</p><p>"Well, we need to get her back. Who knows what'll happen to the girl." Morgana looked indignant.</p><p>"You are such an idiot skull!" He scolded.</p><p>"Muzzle it, Morgana! We have a girl to save!" I say, picking up the cat. We followed the sound of Ann's shouts, that girl can really yell. We found her in a room with Kamoshida, some guards, and Shadow Ann. </p><p> </p><p>Ann was tied to a wooden X with her arms tied above her head. I wanted to puke, I wanted to kill the disgusting man in front of me. He definitely was the manifestation of everything I hated. The way he was talking to Ann made me want to kill him even more. He said she was the reason Shiho jumped, he said it was all her fault. Joker must have sensed my growing anger because he grabbed my hand and squeezed it in a warning. I looked at him, the furry in my eyes still burning like a bonfire. His eyes said:</p><p>"<em> Mari-san, wait for it. I have a feeling Ann-san won't take this lying down. </em>" Then, I heard Ann. She told Kamoshida to shut up and that he made her sick. She also called him a few names that I had to give her props for. </p><p> </p><p>Her eyes then turned a bright yellow color. She started to scream and writhe with agony. I recognized what was happening, she was awakening her persona! Joker told me that I did something similar when I awoke Joan. When Ann finally settled down, a red mask that resembled a cat face appeared on her face. She broke her restraints and ripped off her mask. Light blue light filled the room. When it all settled, Ann wore a red jumpsuit and a defiant expression. Her persona was fem-fetal incarnate, lovely, but I could tell that it could do some severe damage. Ann charged at a guard, kicked the sword out of his hands, caught it, and sliced shadow Ann in half. </p><p> </p><p>From that day on, Ann Takamaki became a member of the Phantom Thieves. She was the panther that finally bore her claws and roared. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 5: Meanwhile in Paris!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>(Mari's pov)</p><p> </p><p>The day after Ann joined the Phantom Thieves as Panther, we discovered the location of Kamoshida's treasure and a good infiltration route. I was surprised that we couldn't steal the treasure yet, but I understood that we couldn't take a gleaming, golden blob. Mona told us that we needed to send a calling card first. Ryuji originally wanted to make the calling card himself, but I knew he would mess it up in some way. So I volunteered, and it was by majority vote that I do the calling card. </p><p> </p><p>Akira sent the instructions, and I got to work. The Kwamis helped out too. I had told them everything when I got home from my first day as a Phantom Thief. They expressed their concerns, but they stopped when they saw the look in my eyes. They said that as long as I stay safe, I could do as I please. Back to the calling card making, I read aloud what Akira sent to me to the Kwamis. </p><p> </p><p>"<strong> <em> Suguru Kamoshida, The Great Sinner of Lust. We know what you do to the students of Shujin Academy. We know that you force your distorted desires onto the innocent students that are in your power. We have decided to make you confess your crimes with your own mouth by taking your heart. Be prepared! </em> </strong></p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em> From,  </em> </strong>
</p><p><strong> <em> The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. </em> </strong>"</p><p> </p><p>I decided to go with a red and black color scheme to match the leader of the Phantom Thieves! The logo also was based on Arsene, Joker's persona. When I finally finished the card, the Kwamis duplicated it into a few dozen copies. I told the Kwamis to post the calling cards on all of the school post bords in the morning. I couldn't wait for the next morning! I think I did a good job. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by the Kwamis freaking out over Marinette joining the phantom thieves!)</p><p> </p><p>I waited for my friends in front of the gates, greeting everyone who passed by. Ann was the first to show up, then Ryuji, then Akira. We all walked in, wondering what kind of reactions people would have to the calling card. We all noticed the students gathered around the post bords. I saw the calling cards I made posted all over the bords. The Kwamis do like to go overboard.</p><p>"I like the design," Akira whispered behind me. A shiver went down my spine. What the hell?</p><p>"Yeah, very on the theme," Ann said. I blushed at all the praise. I was jumped at the sound of yelling. </p><p> </p><p>"WHO DID THIS?!" Kamoshida yelled, storming into view.</p><p>"Was it you? Or was it you?" The students scattered at the sound of Kamoshida's voice. He then stomped over to our group.</p><p>"It was you! You did this!" He shouted.</p><p>"Did what?" Akira asked with his signature Poker-face.</p><p>"Don't play dumb with me, I know you did this!" Kamoshida huffed.</p><p>"Where's the proof, sir?" I asked innocently.</p><p>"Well..." Kamoshida started. He paused and looked like he was searching for an answer. When he came up empty, he looked even more pissed off. He stormed off, muttering about how he'll get us expelled. </p><p> </p><p>I giggled, thinking about how he would be able to do that with close to no proof.</p><p>"So, after school?" Morgana meowed. We all nodded in agreement and went our separate ways to class. I was very nervous and jumpy throughout the school day, but I hid it very well. My first heist as a Phantom Thief, what a rush! My life can never settle down, can it? I wonder how things are in Paris? It has only been a week or two, I'm sure everything is alright! I need to call Kagami and Luka soon, I need to check up on them!</p><p> </p><p>(Newscast style!)</p><p>(IDK pov)</p><p>*Author-chan appears in a news girl outfit sitting behind a desk in front of a green screen showing an image of the Eiffel tower* </p><p> </p><p>Good day everyone! It's me, Author-chan! I am personally here today to share what kind of shenanigans those charming Parisians have been up to. Here's the recap (you can skip this part, folks): Mari, even after the fall of Hawkmoth and Mayura, was being bullied pretty severely by Lila and her classmates. So with the help of Kagami and Luka, Mari escaped to Japan. They even faked her suicide to make sure that no one follows her, and with the added bonus of flipping her bullies the little bird. It has been about a week since then, and I am sure all of you want to see what became of our cast of bullies and bystanders in Paris! I'm gonna have to warn you, my dear readers, <strong> <em> s*** get's real </em> </strong>. Let's pick up where we left off! Elija to you, my friend!</p><p> </p><p>*A man with dark eyes, white hair, white clothes, pale skin, and fish-like lips appears, taking the place of author-chan and her desk. He is standing in front of a green-screen with an image of Françoise Dupont on it.*</p><p> </p><p>Thanks, Author. Now, the April morning of the Monday after Mari's funeral service, there was a significant shift in the atmosphere at Collège Françoise Dupont, Mari's former school. Everyone was silent, and if reports are to be believed, some of the students were crying or had shown signs of crying. We were also informed that one of Marinette's bully, Lila Rossi, was treated as if she wasn't there by both students and teachers alike. Let me tell you, us over here at Creator's news were surprised she showed up to school at all! But the following day, my goodness! Here's a video we secured recording the events of that madness!</p><p> </p><p>*Phone recorded video starts playing and shows the following*</p><p> </p><p>There was a commotion in the courtyard of Collège Françoise Dupont. A ring of people, both students, and teachers, formed around a group of people. Those people were Felix, Adrien, Bridgette, and Lila.</p><p>"Bridgette, calm down!" Adrien yelled, holding back the enraged girl.</p><p>"Adrien is right, Marinette wouldn't have wanted this!" Felix shouted, helping his cousin hold back the girl.</p><p>"Please! I didn't know she would go jump off a bridge!" Lila said with tears.</p><p>"I DON'T CARE! YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY!" Bridgette screamed. The hatred, anger, sadness, and grief in her eyes spoke more than her voice ever will.</p><p>"MARINETTE WAS THE SWEETEST GIRL ON THIS PLANET!! WHY DID YOU HURT HER?!" Bridgette screamed at Lila. </p><p> </p><p>Lila stuttered something nonsensical, which only enraged Bridgette even more. She struggled against the two boys even more and screamed profanities at Lila in a mixture of Welsh and Scottish.</p><p>"Please stop! What would Marinette say if she saw this?" Rose cried. Bridgette whipped her head around to where Rose was standing.</p><p>"You were part of Mari's class, right? I bet you either stood by and watched my cousin get bullied by this b***h!" She yelled at the small girl. </p><p> </p><p>Bridgette proceeded to call out everyone in her line of sight.</p><p>"Mr. D.J! You have known Mari since you were little! Why didn't you stand by her?!"</p><p>"Ms. Jornalist! Why did you betray my cousin, who was your first friend in France?!"</p><p>"Adrien! I know you were under threat from your father, But you could have at least provided some support to my sweet cousin!" This goes on and on until Bridgette brakes down into tears and collapses onto the ground. Felix and Adrien carry her away. </p><p> </p><p>*Video ends and Author-chan appears with her desk* </p><p> </p><p>Wow! That was intense! Don't worry, everyone! Bridgette and everyone in Paris will make a reappearance later! Sorry I haven't been updating often! I am currently having some writer's block. I will update whenever I finish a chapter! It may not be consistent, but I think it will get the story out faster! Until next time goodbye, everyone! </p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 6: Down with the King!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Who is ready for a boss fight and a truck-load of fluff!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Third-person pov) </p><p> </p><p>It was Tuesday, April 19'th, evening. In the Metaverse, in the castle of Kamoshida (which was on high alert), five Phantom Thieves made their way to the treasure room with incredible stealth. They arrived in a safe-room that was near to the throne chamber, which led to the treasure. The group decided to rest up before stealing the treasure. Joker was writing something down in his probation diary. Skull was drinking an ice-cold energy drink. Panther was day-dreaming about something, and Mona was nodding off on the table in the middle of the room. Princess took out her sketchbook and started to draw. </p><p> </p><p>She sketched out Joker and became inspired by his jacket. She sketched out the coat, making adjustments to make it appropriate for everyday use. Mona noticed Princess drawing and wanted to see.</p><p>"Hey, Princess!" He said.</p><p>"Yeah?" She responded, not looking up from her sketchbook. Mona looked over Princess's shoulder to see what she was drawing.</p><p>"Is that Joker's Jacket?" He asked. Princess jumped and whipped her head around to face the cat.</p><p>"Wha? Uh, y-yeah?" She answered, wondering how she hadn't noticed Mona. This caught the attention of their fellow Phantom Thieves.</p><p>"You're drawing Joker's coat?" Panther asked.</p><p>"Yeah, I was thinking about recreating it in real life," Princess said.</p><p>"I've always had a passion for fashion!" </p><p> </p><p>"That's so cool!" Skull said, with a gleam in his eyes.</p><p>"Can we see?" Princess nodded and showed her sketch to her friends.</p><p>"I made it more every day appropriate! While I really like the long coattails, they're not really that practical." She explained.</p><p>"Wow! Princess, you are really talented!" Panther exclaimed.</p><p>"Y-you think so?" Princess asked.</p><p>"Yeah! Oh! Do you think you could make something based on my costume?" Panther asked.</p><p>"And something for me too?" Skull put in.</p><p>"Guys, Phantom Thief business first, then fashion!" Mona chimed.</p><p>"Right! Sorry!" Panther apologized.</p><p>"It's okay!" Princess said. </p><p> </p><p>After resting up enough, the Phantom Thieves exited the safe room and headed to the treasure room. They were surprised to see the throne room so empty but decided to capitalize on it. The five entered the treasure room, and what they found was tremendous. A giant crown floated in place of the gleaming blob.</p><p>"Wow..." Skull breathed.</p><p>"Are you sure we can carry that?" Princess asked Mona. Mona didn't answer her.</p><p>"Mona?" Princess asked. Suddenly, Mona pounced on the giant crown and started purring and meowing.</p><p>"Mona? Are you okay?!" Princess asked with worry in her voice.</p><p>"Mona, that's not catnip!" Joker scolded. Mona just meowed again in answer. Princess (who was overwhelmed with Mona's cuteness) just ran up to Mona, tore him off the treasure, and put him in a strangle hug. </p><p> </p><p>That snapped Mona beck to reality.</p><p>"What the- Princess! Let go of me! I'm okay now!" Mona yelled.</p><p>"Sorry!" Princess said, dropping the cat.</p><p>"I have a love of cute things, and I couldn't resist hugging you!"</p><p>"It's okay, I don't know what came over me," Mona said with a sigh.</p><p>"Whatever, let's just get this crown out of here!" Skull said. The Phantom Thieves gathered around the giant crown and lifted it up like lifting up a large piece of furniture. They carried the thing out into the throne room when they suddenly heard a voice.</p><p>"Go, go, Kamoshida, go!" the voice cheered. It sounded like Panther, but Panther wasn't speaking. </p><p> </p><p>Then a volleyball shot towards the Phantom Thieves and knocked the crown out of their hands. Kamoshida appeared in front of his throne with shadow Ann at his shoulder. In a flash of red light, the giant crown's size decreased to an average size and appeared in Kamoshida's hands.</p><p>"I won't let anyone take this!" He said with an angry expression.</p><p>"This proves I'm the king of this castle! It is the core of this world."</p><p>"That rat b*****d," Panther muttered.</p><p>"That's how he sees me, isn't it!" She yelled. Out of the corner of her eye, Princess saw Skull's turn bright red with rage.</p><p>"Yo, pervert! Were you waiting to ambush us?" He yelled.</p><p>"I just made it easier to find you.~" Kamoshida responded.</p><p>"I'll dispose of you myself. Right here, right now!" </p><p> </p><p>"Don't go off and make promises you can't keep, you <em> Fils de pute </em>!" Princess chimed at the man in front of her (A/N: look up what that means in french, you'll appreciate Mari even more! Trust me!).</p><p>"What a selfish misunderstanding..." Kamoshida muttered.</p><p>"A misunderstanding?! Care to explain?!" Princess jeered.</p><p>"Yeah! Explain yourself, Kamoshida! You were doing things you kept secret from others! How is that a misunderstanding?!" Panther yelled.</p><p>"People around me were the ones who kept it secret," Kamoshida mused.</p><p>"Adults who wanted to share in my accomplishments, students who have the drive to become winners... They willingly protect me so that we all may profit from it."</p><p>"Profit?!" Skull questioned.</p><p>"There are too many imbeciles who don't understand that." Kamoshida groaned. </p><p> </p><p>"<em> What kind of sick and twisted logic is that?! </em>" Princess thought as she felt a murderous rage build up inside her.</p><p>"Including naive brats like you and that girl who tried to kill herself!" Kamoshida added. Princess's anger shot through the roof. How dare he talk like that about Shiho!</p><p>"True, she's a total idiot... Letting you manipulate her, trying to commit suicide..." Panther said in a deadpan voice. Princess did a double-take, why did she say that?</p><p>"And I'm even more of a dumba** for not realizing that. But no matter what kind of fool someone might be, they don't need your permission to live their lives!" Panther said in a slightly broken voice. Princess gave Panther a nod of approval, then Kamoshida ruined it. </p><p> </p><p>"Drop the attitude, you mediocre peasant! There is no wrong in using my gifts for my gain! I'm a cut above all other humans!" He said. Princess felt her sanity crack a little when Kamoshida said that.</p><p>"Above? I think you misspoke... You mean beneath! You are a sick demon who is obsessed with your dark and twisted desires!" Princess screamed. Kamoshida chuckled wickedly, but his chuckle sounded distorted.</p><p>"Your right... I'm not like you!" Kamoshida yelled in a distorted voice. He pulled shadow Ann close to before proclaiming:</p><p>"I AM THE DEMON WHO RULES THIS WORLD!!" Both him and shadow Ann started to change into something dreadful and monstrous. </p><p> </p><p>(Mari's pov)</p><p> </p><p>"What the hell?!" Ryuji exclaimed. Couldn't have said it better myself, Skull! A giant pink demon Kamoshida, with four arms, ram's horns, and an unbelievably long tongue sat before us. The crown we were trying to steal was on his head.</p><p>"I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I want!" He yelled with that unnaturally distorted voice of his. Joker was suddenly at my side, he put his arm out in front of me protectively.</p><p>"You're wrong! You are human like the rest of us! Come on Phantom Thieves, let's remind him of that!" Joker said while summoning Mokoi. He successfully rallied us, and we charged the monster. </p><p> </p><p>The battle was nothing like regular battles with normal shadows. It was a straight-up boss fight! I could tell that Joan was pedaling overtime to make sure that everyone stayed strong. I took a lot of hits for my fellow Phantom Thieves to make sure they stayed safe, but I always healed myself afterward. I was mortified when I saw the way Kamoshida viewed Mishima and Shiho. This man is really nothing but abusive, lustful, and egotistical!</p><p>"Joker! We need to get the treasure!" I say, dodging Kamoshida's whip.</p><p>"Right! Skull, sneak up that terrace, and grab Kamoshida's crown! We'll keep him busy!" Joker said, pointing to the terrace that was closest to Kamoshida.</p><p>"On it!" Skull said. He ran behind the pillar holding up the platform, without Kamoshida noticing. </p><p> </p><p>Coincidentally, I was also close enough to see and hear him from behind the pillar. Kamoshida yelled about something being the reason the school still exists and that he deserves respect.</p><p>"Yeah, whatever, man! Just stay away from her!" I heard Skull whisper.</p><p>"<em> Her? </em> " I thought as Skull jumped up into the terrace.</p><p>" <em> Did he have a crush on someone? Did Kamoshida do something to her? Who is it? </em>" These questions whirled around my brain. I was so preoccupied that I didn't notice Kamoshida pointing an attack at me.</p><p>"Princess!" I heard Joker's voice yell. I looked up to see Kamoshida's golden knife speeding towards me. I braced for impact when I felt someone's strong arms pulled me to safety. I looked up to see Joker holding me and glaring daggers at Kamoshida. </p><p> </p><p>"Awww... The Court Jester is keeping the Princess safe! How cute~!" Kamoshida said in a mocking voice. I then proceeded to jump out of Joker's (*cough* warm *cough*) embrace and fired my rifle at him. I did some good damage before my gun was empty of bullets.</p><p>"I don't regret that!" I said as Joan boosted the team's speed. Kamoshida then noticed that someone was missing. "Hey! Why are there four of you? Where is that skull boy?" He said.</p><p>"About time you noticed!" Skull said from the terrace above. He raised his bat and flew forward, knocking the crown off of Kamoshida's head.</p><p>"NOOOOO!!! MY... MY PRECIOUS!!!!" Kamoshia screeched as his crown flew away from him. </p><p> </p><p>"Kamoshida is shaken up, nows our chance!" I said, reloading my gun. We circled the giant demon and aimed our guns at him. We then attacked him with an All-out Attack(T.M)! The guy looked dejected, I almost felt sorry for him... Then, after more battling, we finally defeated Kamoshida! He disappeared, leaving his crown behind. Skull attempted to grab it, but Kamoshida (in human form, somehow) suddenly appeared and grabbed the thing. He ran over to a balcony just outside the throne room.</p><p>"What's wrong? Not running away? Why don't you run? Aren't you a great athlete?" Panther asked.</p><p>"Give it up, Kamoshida... you're outnumbered, outgunned, and out of power. Don't make this harder then it needs to be..." I say, hoping that he'll give up. </p><p> </p><p>"It's always been like this... All those goddamn hyenas forcing their expectations on me! I'm doing this all for them! What's wrong about demanding a reward for that?" He said in an angry voice.</p><p>"Now you're making excuses? We'll do something about that distorted heart of yours!" Skull said.</p><p>"Yeah! Also, that excuse doesn't make what you did justified!" I put in. Kamoshida whimpered.</p><p>"Scared?" Panther asked him.</p><p>"Right now, you're seeing the same view Shiho did. I'm sure she was scared too... but she had no choice but to jump... Will you jump? Or would you rather die here?" Panther summoned Carmen and prepared a fire attack. </p><p> </p><p>"Do you want to finish him off? It's your call..." Mona said. I stepped forward.</p><p>"Kamoshida... Now is your last chance... Give up your treasure, or face Panther's wrath!" I said, extending my hand to him.</p><p>"Princess, get out of the way!" Panther said.</p><p>"No! Please! Forgive me! I beg you!" Kamoshida pleaded.</p><p>"Shut up! I bet everyone told you the same. But you... you took everything from them!" Panther screamed. She pushed me out of the way before firing a fireball at Kamoshida. Kamoshida shrieked, but the fireball missed him.</p><p>"I accept defeat... You want this? Take it." Kamoshida said, tossing the crown to Joker, who caught it. </p><p> </p><p>"Go ahead and finish me off. You do that, and my real self will go down too. You have that right since you won." Kamoshida said in a weak voice. Panther realized another fireball in Kamoshida's direction.</p><p>"Ann!" Skull yelled.</p><p>"Panther!" I yelled. The fireball once again missed Kamoshida.</p><p>"If his mind shuts down, then he can't confess his crimes." She said.</p><p>"You're kind, Lady Ann," Mona said.</p><p>"Right, and killing him isn't justice. If anything, it's giving him an easy way out." I said, placing my hand on Panther's shoulder.</p><p>"I've lost. You're through when you lose. What am I- What am I supposed to do now?" Kamoshida said in a small voice.</p><p>"Atone for your sins, that's all you can do," Joker said. </p><p> </p><p>"Alright, I'll return to my real self. I'll make sure to..." Kamoshida said. But, he was cut off when he disappeared. Then, there was violent shaking, like an earthquake.</p><p>"We don't have time to waste, this place is about to collapse," Mona said.</p><p>"Then let's get out of here!" Skull exclaimed. We all agreed to do that, and then we started to book it to the nearest exit. </p><p> </p><p>(One escape and anime cutscene later...) </p><p> </p><p>When we emerged from the metaverse, we found ourselves behind the school. We were all out of breath and tired.</p><p>"Well, we did it!" I say in a tired voice.</p><p>"Yeah..." Ann sighed. Ryuji pulled ou his phone and looked at the nav. app.</p><p>"Hey, guys! Look at the nav!" He said. We all took ou our phones and looked at the weird app.</p><p>"Kamoshida's palace is gone..." I breathed.</p><p>"Yeah, looks like we can't go there anymore." Ann sighed.</p><p>"What about the treasure?!" Morgana whined. Akira pulled out a gold medal from his pocket.</p><p>"A medal? What happened to the crown?" I asked. "What's goin' on?" Ryuji asked. </p><p> </p><p>"It means this medal was the source of Kamoshida's distorted desires. To him, this medal is worth as much as the crown we saw in the palace." Morgana explained.</p><p>"An Olympic medal..." Ryuji muttered.</p><p>"The perv kept clinging onto his past glory and couldn't let it go."</p><p>"It's kind of sad when you think about it..." I said, with pity in my voice.</p><p>"This means he had a change in heart, right?" Ann asked.</p><p>"Probably," Morgana said.</p><p>"Our expulsion is on the line here!" Ryuji said in a panicked voice.</p><p>"I doubt it. Kamoshida was the driving force for the expulsion. If he had a change of heart, then the discussions will be postponed. Also, he had no proof, so there was no chance you guys you get expelled anyway!" I said.</p><p>"Let's just wait and see what happens, we all need some R&amp;R right now," Akira said. We all agreed that taking a break sounded good. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone started to walk home, and Akira walked with me.</p><p>"Hey, Mari-san?" He asked. I hummed in response.</p><p>"If you do make that jacket... can I have it?" He asked. I looked up at him, he looked nervous. His cheeks were slightly pink, it looked... cute.</p><p>"Sure! I'm sure it would look great on you!" I said with a smile. We continued to walk and talk. I felt so happy when I was with Akira! But why is my heart beating so fast? </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 7: Downtime!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You know... I don't think this story has enough fluff and shipping in it yet... Oh! I know!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(The next day) </p><p>(Mari's pov) </p><p> </p><p>I walked to school, slightly nervous. Did Kamoshida really have a change of heart? I hope he did! If he doesn't have a change of heart after all the s*** my friends and I went through... Oh my goodness, I sound like my cousin! Oh crap, Bridgette! I completely forgot about her! I am the worst cousin ever! I really hope she didn't murder anyone. She must be so depressed! Why did I forget about her? She's like my own sister! Maybe Luka and Kagami will help me contact her! I mentally slapped myself, school and Phantom Thief business first, then family drama and past mistakes that make me question my moral compass! You need to set your priorities straight, Mari!</p><p> </p><p>I skipped to the front gate, waving at fellow students with a smile.</p><p>"<em> Just keep smiling, Mari. It'll make others smile too! </em>" I thought to myself as I stood near the entrance, waiting for my friends. I still get weird looks from my peers, but I don't mind. I just keep smiling and greeting other students that walk by. Eventually, my friends did show up, and we made our way to our classes. The day went by as usual, but there was no sign of Kamoshida. Apparently, he went on sick leave. At least that's what the teachers told us at the beginning of the school day. Also, the discussions for Akira's and Ryuji's expulsions were being put on hold. </p><p> </p><p>Morgana said that we just had to wait for a change in heart to happen eventually. So, we just have to wait! I suppose we could use some downtime, I need to study for midterms! Maybe, I could cram with my friends! I need to ask them. Wait, No! I need to check in with Kagami and Luka first to settle things with Bridgette! These thoughts swirled around in my head the majority of the day. By the end of the day, my friends noticed my change in behavior.</p><p>"Mari-chan, are you feeling alright?" Ann asked with concern when the last class of the day was dismissed. Akira, Ann, and I were exiting class and heading to the front gates. </p><p> </p><p>"I'm okay... Just... Thinking about... Home..." I said, wistfully.</p><p>"You mean Paris?" Akira asked.</p><p>"Yeah, I've been meaning to call some friends who live there," I answered.</p><p>"Oh! I also wanted to ask you something, Mari-chan!" Ann said.</p><p>"What is it?" I asked.</p><p>"What's it like to live in a place like Paris? What is life like in the city of love?" Ann asked. I didn't know how to answer a question like that. Do I give her the truthful answer or the one she wants to hear? No... They don't need to know what happened in Paris. Not yet, anyway... </p><p> </p><p>"Paris is a busy city, not a busy as Tokyo, but busy. There is always something going on! It's not a perfect city, but it's a nice city!" I said with the best smile I could muster.</p><p>"<em> As long as you stay with the right people... </em> " I added in my head. We met Ryuji at the front gates and walked home together. We talked and laughed, it felt nice. It felt like I have known these people all my life, yet I only met them a week or so ago. They really are extraordinary, I am so fortunate to be their friend! Ann was telling Ryuji off about something while he was rolling his eyes and not paying attention. Akira was watching the two teens act like an old married couple with an amused smile that made my heart skip a beat.</p><p>" <em> I will never make the same mistake I did back in Paris. I will protect my friends this time! This is my rebirth, I need to get it right this time! </em>" I thought. I made a vow that day... I vowed that I would protect my friends no matter what, no matter the cost!</p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by my love for meme-verse!)</p><p> </p><p>I put down my phone, trying to prosses what Kagami and Luka told me before hanging up. So... They really did care about me? Nah! They're just feeling guilty about my <em> death </em>. But, what Bridgette did... My goodness! I knew she wouldn't have taken it to well, but I didn't expect her to go berserk! Why did I do that to her? I really need to contact her, and soon! Thanks to Kagami, I have Bridgette's phone number now! When I asked how she got it, Kagami said she got it from Adrien's phone. How she got Adrien's phone away from him long enough to scan his contacts, I will never know and nor do I want to know! </p><p> </p><p>I wrote down the number on a sticky note to make sure I don't forget it. I looked down at the number on the slip of paper, wondering if I should call it. Would Bridgette believe it was me? What would she say? I was so scared of what Bridgette might say that I didn't register the Kwamis trying to get my attention. When the Kwamis did get my attention, I just broke down crying. "Calm down, Marinette! You don't need to call her right now. You can call her Whenever you feel like it!" Tiki reassured. I nodded and started to get dinner ready. It's Ramen night tonight! </p><p> </p><p>(One weeb dinner later!) </p><p> </p><p>I was finishing the last of my ramen when my phone got a notification. I checked it and found a text from Akira! I replied to his message quickly. </p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>(A/N:<strong>  Bold = Akira,  </strong> <em> Italics = Marinette </em>)</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> Hey, Mari!  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What's up, Akira? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> I was wondering if we could study for midterms together? </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Sure! A group study session with everyone?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> No, things would get too chaotic... </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> True. -_- </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> I was thinking we could study together! Just the two of us?  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>What? Did I read that correctly? He wants a private study session with me? Where did this come from?</p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I wouldn't mind that, but where did this come from? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> Well, Ryuji and Ann said that they were going to study together. So, I figured we could do the same! </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It does sound fun!  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Also, why are those two studying together?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> IDK! But, they have known each other since middle school. So... </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Tomorrow, after school, you pick the place and subject! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> Okay! See you tomorrow, Mari! </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> See ya, Akira! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>"Ooo~ Got yourself a date, Mari?" Plagg teased.</p><p>"Plagg! We are just going to go study for midterms together! Besides, he is just a friend!" I said to the cat Kwami. I cleaned up dinner and did my usual routine before bed. As I was lying in my pink fluffy bed, I thought about Akira. His smile was so... I don't know! His smile makes me feel so jittery, it is almost like having a momentary sugar rush! I need to go to bed and sleep off these thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>(Third person pov) </p><p> </p><p>While Marinette was sleeping in her room, Tiki and Plagg were having a discussion in the living room with a few other Kwamis.</p><p>"<em> He's just a friend </em>? I've lost count of how many time Adrien said that about Marinette!" Plagg said.</p><p>"Plagg, Marinette isn't as dense as Adrien. But, yeah, it's clear that Marinette likes Akira, and is in denial." Tiki sighed.</p><p>"I bet my tail Igor thought they would be a cute couple!" Trixx said.</p><p>"I wouldn't put him past that," Wayzz sighed.</p><p>"I kind of ship it!" Duusu said with excitement.</p><p>"I agree with Duusu, the two seem great for each other!" Nooroo said.</p><p>"Why are we talking about shipping?" Pollen asked.</p><p>"I don't know! The author of this fic just wanted us to talk about shipping!" Plagg said. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan yelling at Plagg about breaking the fourth wall!) </p><p> </p><p>(Akira's pov) </p><p> </p><p>I stared at my phone, looking at the conversation I had with Mari. I was lying in my bed in LaBlanc's attic with Morgana sitting on my chest. I smiled, Marinette is such a sweetheart.</p><p>"What'cha smiling about?" Morgana asked.</p><p>"Oh, just going to study with Mari-san tomorrow. Nothing much!" I answered.</p><p>"So... You're going on a date with her?" Morgana asked.</p><p>"It's n-not like th-that!" I said with a stutter. I felt my face heat up a little.</p><p>"Sure... Whatever, Akira! Keep telling yourself that. But you can't deny that Mari-sama is very beautiful. Perhaps it's her french blood?" Morgana mussed. I stayed quiet and pretended to be asleep.</p><p>"Foreign girls sure are pretty, Lady Ann and Mari-sama are examples of that. Lady Ann has American blood as well as Japanese. Mari-sama is half-French and half-Chinese. Both seem to capture the beauty of their respective heritages perfectly, don't you think?" Morgana continued. </p><p> </p><p>This cat is trying to kill me.</p><p>"Morgana... If you keep talking... I will not give you any Tuna tomorrow." I said with an angry sigh.</p><p>"That's animal cruelty!" Morgana protested.</p><p>"Don't test me! Also, what is with your obsession with Ann?" I asked.</p><p>"Goodnight, Akira!" He responded, curling up into a furball. That shut him up, thank you, Igor! But do I really like Marinette? Sure she's pretty, kind, friendly, polite, cute, relaxing to be around, and the way she smiles is so... oh no... I have a crush on Marinette... I have a crush on the first girl that had shown me kindness on the first day of school... </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>...F**k</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Also here is a link to meme-verse season 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoS-ADDu1kA</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Princess's Files</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Format based on: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123913/chapters/58078582<br/>
Melee and Gun: <br/>
⦁ Mari has a pink silk fan that looks like this:</p>
<p>
  <a href="https://imgbb.com/">  </a>
</p>
<p><br/>
 <br/>
⦁ She also has a gun like this:</p>
<p>
  <a href="https://ibb.co/1frS6Lq">
    
  </a><br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it's red and has a golden dragon head at the end with its mouth open. </p>
<p>Battle quotes: <br/>
⦁ "I am thou!"<br/>
⦁ "Come to me, Joan!" <br/>
⦁ "Persona!" <br/>
⦁ "attaquer!" (Translation: Attack!)</p>
<p>Persona uses skill: <br/>
⦁ "Here we go!"</p>
<p>Exploiting enemy's weakness:<br/>
⦁ "Gotcha!"<br/>
⦁ "That's it!" <br/>
⦁ "Strike 'em down Joan!" </p>
<p>Taking damage: <br/>
⦁ Ouch! </p>
<p>Marinette's HP is below 25% during her turn:<br/>
⦁ "Gotta stay strong..."</p>
<p>Receiving Baton Pass:<br/>
⦁ "Don't worry!"</p>
<p>Passing Baton Pass:<br/>
⦁ "Be careful!" </p>
<p>Offensive skill:<br/>
⦁ "Allez-y" (Translation: Go for it!)<br/>
⦁ "Charge!" </p>
<p>Inflicted with fear:<br/>
⦁ "What if I can't..."</p>
<p>Inflicted with dizziness:<br/>
⦁ "Mon Dieu!" </p>
<p>Is defeated:<br/>
⦁ "Did I fail?" </p>
<p>Initiating All-Out Attack:<br/>
⦁ "Here's our chance!" </p>
<p>All-Out Attack Finishing Touch:"<br/>
⦁ "Sorry not sorry!~" <br/>
⦁ "Sorry, you're not up to the test!~"<br/>
⦁ "You're out of luck!~"</p>
<p>When someone heals her:<br/>
⦁ "Merci!" </p>
<p>Battle results:<br/>
⦁ "Well done!" <br/>
⦁ "We did it!" <br/>
⦁ "Everyone okay?" </p>
<p>Learning New Move:<br/>
⦁ "This could help!" <br/>
⦁ "Will this be useful?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 8: The Confession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You know... I think I can drop even more fluff and shipping in this fic and make it longer! Prepare for more fluffy filler and Kamoshida's confession, everyone! I am going to be super surprised if this fic doesn't turn out to be over 100,000 words long...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(The next day after school) </p><p>(Mari's pov) </p><p> </p><p>Hi! I'm Marinette! Right now, I'm studying for midterms with my friend, Akira Kurusu, in a cozy diner. Also, Akira has been acting strange all day. He seems both relaxed and on edge whenever I talked to him. After our first class, I asked if he was alright, but he said he was fine. Then, at lunch, I sat next to him as usual, and he looked red. I asked him if he was sick, and he said he just felt a little hot. I'm worried about him, but I need to focus on studying! We were studying things that we thought most likely to appear on the test. I was looking over some optical illusions while Akira was reviewing his notes. </p><p> </p><p>I sipped my hot cocoa while trying to figure out which line ends where. Akira was nibbling on a pastry while trying to memorize how hermit crabs and king crabs are related.</p><p>"They both have six legs, right?" He muttered.</p><p>"I think so..." I responded, trying to find a straight edge.</p><p>"Mon Dieu, Pourquoi Les illusions d'optique sont-elles si difficiles à regarder?" I mutter without realizing it. (translation: My God, why are optical illusions so hard to watch?) Akira gave me a weird look.</p><p>"Was that French?" he asked.</p><p>"Hmm? Oh! Sorry! I didn't realize I said that in French!" I said in embarrassment.</p><p>"It's alright, I kind of like it," Akira said. </p><p> </p><p>"What?" I asked.</p><p>"What?!" He responded with a red face. I giggled at his flustered self.</p><p>"You know, I can teach you French if you want." I offered.</p><p>"You would do that?" He asked.</p><p>"Yeah, you seem interested, and I'll gladly teach you some basic phrases and sounds if you want," I said. He thought about it for a moment, smiled, and nodded. We continued studying and reviewing our notes. An hour later, we decided that we were done for the day.</p><p>"Same time, same place next week for French?" Akira asked.</p><p>"Sure, Au revoir!" I said with a smile.</p><p>"See ya!" Akira said. I gave him a hug and skipped off to my apartment (which was a few blocks away). I didn't notice at the time because it was dark, but Akira was red in the face when I hugged him goodbye. </p><p> </p><p>(Akira's pov) </p><p> </p><p>She hugged me! Holy s***, she hugged me! It felt so warm and- No! Focus Akira! She said she would give me French lessons, maybe I can use it to my advantage! I don't mean that in a perverted way! Get your mind out of the gutter! If the Phantom Thieves incorporate French into our communication, then we can share secrets more easily! There is also the added bonus of hanging out with Mari every week, but let's focus on Phantom thief stuff! Morgana is going to have a field day when he finds out about this...</p><p> </p><p>(Third person pov) </p><p> </p><p>Over the next week and a bit, Marinette spent some time with her friends. She studied with them and taught them a bit of french. As well as taking the midterm exams with high hopes for the results. However, Marinette didn't call Bridgette during that time. She put her number into her contacts, but she never so much as texted her. Mari never told her friends bout her troubles. She didn't want them to be wrapped up in her mess. She hid her problems so well that Marinette herself could forget them for an entire school day. But when Mari was alone in her apartment... She stared at her phone, wondering if she should call her cousin. But, she never got the courage to do so. Mari was too afraid of what Bridgette would say. She was terrified of the idea that her cousin could hate her for what she did. </p><p> </p><p>Both the Kwamis and Joan of Arc told Marinette that postponing and hiding her problems wasn't healthy.</p><p>"Marinette, suppressing your problems won't make them go away. In fact, it'll make them worse!" Tiki told her.</p><p>"<em> Mon Cherie, you must face your challenges head-on if you want to conquer them. But if you do it alone, you will fall. You must tell your friends about what you are facing and gain their support. Otherwise, you will not win the battle. </em>" Joan lectured in her head. Marinette wanted to ask her friends for help, but she didn't want them to be worried about her. </p><p> </p><p>"I'll just wait for Kamoshida to have a change in heart! Then I'll deal with Bridgette!" Marinette said to her concerned Kwamis and Persona on the night of April 30'th.</p><p>"Alright... But please contact her! I'm sure she would love to hear that you're alive and well!" Tiki sighed as she and the other Kwamis flew into the Miracle box to go to sleep. Later, as Marinette was getting comfy in her own bed, she heard Joan's voice whisper to her in her head.</p><p>"<em> Both you and I know what will happen too soon than you would like. But I do hope you'll be up to that challenge, Mon Cherie~. </em>"</p><p>"I'm gonna have to ask if the others have their personas talk to them..." Marinette mumbled as she slipped into unconsciousness. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip to the next day (May 1st)! Brought to you by Arsene giving Akira love advice at 3 am! Akira: Help! I did not ask for this!) </p><p> </p><p>(Mari's pov) </p><p> </p><p>"There is going to be a school assembly today?" I asked.</p><p>"That's what we've been told," Ryuji said. My friends and I were talking in the halls, waiting for our classes to begin.</p><p>"Why is there an assembly during exam week?" I asked.</p><p>"Probably has something to do with Shiho's er..." Akira started, but he stopped himself and gave Ann a wary look.</p><p>"It's okay, Akira-kun," Ann said in an apologetic voice.</p><p>"If that's the case, why this late? Shiho's incident happened weeks ago!" I said.</p><p>"Oh, by the way, how is Shiho?" I asked.</p><p>"She's doing fine, the doctors say that she's making a steady recovery," Ann answered with a smile.</p><p>"C'mon, the bell is about to ring. We'll see what this assembly's about when it comes." Ryuji said. A few seconds later, the bell rang, and we went to the said morning assembly. </p><p> </p><p>(Another Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's determination to keep writing this book!) </p><p> </p><p>I stood in the gymnasium with my fellow students listening to our principal. He told us that Shiho survived her attempt at suicide. He was talking about the importance of life or something when the sound of a door opening and closing filled the room, diverting our attention to the source of the noise. There stood Kamoshida, his head bowed and an apologetic expression on his face. He muttered something about being reborn before walking onto the stage. He stood next to the principal and confessed all his wrongdoings to everyone in that gymnasium. He sobbed and said that he'll do anything to atone for what he'd done. Ann shouted at him from where she stood (which was pretty close to the stage). I just stood there, trying to figure out which emotion to feel. </p><p> </p><p>I heard a teacher shout that the morning assembly was over and that we should head to our classes. I heard students muttering around me about the Phantom Thieves and Kamoshida. I felt a hand grab mine and pulled me off somewhere. I finally regained myself when the students started to leave the gymnasium.</p><p>"His heart really did change..." Ann muttered.</p><p>"Seems like it..." Ryuji said.</p><p>"But, was this really for the best?" He asked.</p><p>"I think so..." Akira answered. I was confused, why are they so uncertain?</p><p>"Guys, we did the right thing," I said.</p><p>"He just confessed everything and is going to atone for what he did, why are you so down?" I asked.</p><p>"You're right, thanks, Mari-san," Ryuji said. </p><p> </p><p>A trio of students came walking towards us, it was Mishima and two girls.</p><p>"Huh?" Ryuji said.</p><p>"Do you need anything?" I asked politely.</p><p>"Takamaki-san, I'm sorry!" Mishima said with an apologetic bow.</p><p>"Huh?" Ann said. Mishima apologized for not doing anything about Ann's situation. The girls behind him apologized for spreading rumors about her and expressed their sympathy for her.</p><p>"Did he do anything to you?" Mishima asked me.</p><p>"Other than weird looks in the halls and P.E no, Dieu merci," I responded (Translation: Thank God).</p><p>"Don't worry about it, it's all in the past now," Ann said. A teacher then yelled at us to go to class. </p><p> </p><p>We all went to our classes. I carried on with my day, but there was a thought in the back of my mind that I couldn't get rid of. Maybe I do need help, but I don't want to bother my friends. What should I do? Who should I ask? I'm so sorry, Bridgette...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 9: The One where Akira knows.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Behold! More fluff, shipping, and wholesomeness with a side of angst cause why not! Also, after careful consideration, I have decided to christen the Marinette and Akira ship as... Akiranette! Before you ask, yes, I have no originality when it comes to shipping names. Also, it just sounds better than any other name. But feel free to suggest a better name in the comments!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>It was May 5'th, Thursday, 4 days after Kamoshida admitted is crimes. I was sitting at a table in a fancy restaurant with my fellow Phantom Thieves, celebrating our first success. I was sitting next to Akira on a comfy leather couch that I knew was more expensive than any piece of furniture in my apartment. Ann and Ryuji were both seated in the two armchairs facing the short ends of the table. Ann was eating a cake of some sort, while Ryuji was nomming on a steak dish. Akira was eating a purple soup/curry thing, and I was nibbling on a piece of cherry pie Ann got.</p><p>"So good!" Ryuji said with his mouth full of steak.</p><p>"No wonder Lady Ann chose this place!" Morgana said.</p><p>"I have to agree, this place is of high quality," I said between bites of pie. </p><p> </p><p>"Of course it's high quality! This is a famous hotel, after all!" Ann said. Akira smiled and ate another spoon full of purple stew(?). I looked around at my friends, who were all enjoying themselves. I was enjoying my self too. But, still... No! I don't need to think about that! Not when everyone is happy and cheery! Just laugh, Marinette, laugh with your friends! I looked over to Akira, and we made eye contact. He gave me a bright smile that made my heart race. Were the kwamis, right? Do I have a crush on Akira? Before I could come to a conclusion, I heard Ann say something that caught my attention.</p><p>"I heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school." She said.</p><p>"That's troublesome," Morgana said. </p><p> </p><p>"True, our names will come up. People are probably spreading rumors about Kamoshida and us." I say, putting down my plate.</p><p>"But, we got 'em pumped up! I keep hearin' stuff like: 'The Phantom Thieves really stole his heart!' I think most people don't believe it, but some of 'em actually seem grateful! Look at this!" Ryuji said, pulling out his phone. We took a look, and it was...</p><p>"The Phantom Aficionado Website?" Ann said, looking at the sight pulled up on Ryuji's phone.</p><p>"'Well done, Phantom Thieves!' 'Now I can keep going too!' 'Thanks for giving us hope!'" She read aloud.</p><p>"Pretty cool, right?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"I think it's really nice," I said while having flashbacks to the Lady blog.</p><p>"I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing other people saying all this feels... Strange," Ann said with a smile.</p><p>"Yeah," Ryuji said. I noticed that his cheeks went a little pink when Ann smiled. </p><p> </p><p>"What do we do now?" Ryuji asked Akira.</p><p>"You plan on eating?" Akira answered while scooping up another spoonful of purple... stuff.</p><p>"huh?" Ryuji said.</p><p>"This place has a one-hour time limit, remember?" I said as I picked up another plate of cake and started to eat.</p><p>"Oh, crap, you're right!" Ryuji said in a panicked voice.</p><p>"We only have 50 minutes left!" Ann said. The two blondes started to panic about eating the entire menu before the hour is up. The two stood up and to get some more food while Akira, Morgana, and I stayed at the table.</p><p>"Those two would make a cute couple..." I thought aloud without realizing it.</p><p>"I have to agree," Akira said. "Oh! Did I say that out loud?" I said in embarrassment. </p><p> </p><p>"You did, and I have to disagree with you two on that point," Morgana said.</p><p>"Just because you have a crush on Ann-chan, doesn't mean you can ruin our fun," I say, taking a bite of cake.</p><p>"It's that obvious?" Morgana asked, with his ears drooping.</p><p>"Yes, yes it is," Akira and I said, at the same time. The two of us laughed while Morgana hid in Akira's bag. Eventually, the two blondes came back with plates of desserts and beef.</p><p>"The beef melts in my mouth!" Ryuji said happily with a mouth full of meat.</p><p>"Seriously? Only meat?" Morgana said in exasperation.</p><p>"Where should I start?" Ann said, looking over the desserts she got.</p><p>"She's all about cake!" Morgana sighed. </p><p> </p><p>"Ryuji-kun, remember to pace yourself. You don't want to choke! Ann-chan, I recommend the lighter cakes before the dense cakes." I advised my two friends.</p><p>"Whatever, <em> mom </em>!" Ryuji sighed.</p><p>"Thanks, Mari-chan!" Ann said, picking out a cake.</p><p>"Don't encourage them!" Morgana scolded me.</p><p>"So happy!" Ann mumbled through a mouthful of cake.</p><p>"Hey, calories!" Ryuji said with a smirk.</p><p>"Shuddup!" Ann said with bright-red cheeks.</p><p>"How much do you think one of these costs?! I'll never get a chance like this again!" She added.</p><p>"You know, these cakes remind me of the cakes my parents bake back in Paris," I said, taking another bite.</p><p>"Really?" Ann asked.</p><p>"Yeah, but these are more decadent, my parent's cakes are more simple," I say, matter-a-factly.</p><p>"I would love to have one of those cakes someday!" Ann said dreamily. </p><p> </p><p>"Must've been hard on your parents to move to Japan with you," Ryuji said, sadly.</p><p>"Actually, they still live in Paris. I live alone in my apartment." I said. The others looked shocked at what I told them.</p><p>"Don't you get lonely?" Akira asked.</p><p>"Not really, some friends from Paris call me every now and again," I say. A minute of silence ensued, while Ann and Ryuji continued to eat.</p><p>"Hey, Akira. How about we get some food?" Morgana asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Akira answered. He got up with the bag Morgana was in over his shoulder to get some food. I continued to eat my cake while Ann and Ryuji ate their food. They occasionally shot me worried glances, but I ignored them. </p><p> </p><p>A few minutes later, Akira came back with a lot of food.</p><p>"Oh! That's a lot!" I said, looking over the meal.</p><p>"Think you can eat it all?" I asked him.</p><p>"I'm hungry, and I want to eat," Akira deadpanned. I giggled at that comment.</p><p>"Ya know, using better ingredients makes food taste way better!" Ryuji said with excitement. Morgana made a comment about Ryuji's pallet, and pretty soon, those two started to bicker... again...</p><p>"Come on, let's make sure this food Akira-kun brought doesn't go to waste!" I say.</p><p>"Akira-kun?" Akira asked.</p><p>"You don't like it?" I asked.</p><p>"Oh! I like! It's just unexpected!" Akira said with red cheeks.</p><p>"Are you sure you're okay? Your face is a little red," I told him.</p><p>"It's nothing!" He said, scratching the back of his neck. I sighed and continued to eat my cake while he started to eat his food. </p><p> </p><p>"Aside from that, Ryuji, why don't you help them?" Ann suggested.</p><p>"Me?! Why don't you help?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"I'm way too stuffed to help!" Ann said with a mouthful of cake.</p><p>"Yeah, stuffed with cake!" Ryuji sighed.</p><p>"Whatever! Let's just do this!" He said and started to go to town with the rest of us. After thirty minutes of eating, we finished all the food on the table.</p><p>"We... did it..." I sighed. I was so sleepy.</p><p>"Yeah..." Morgana meowed quietly.</p><p>"This is a victory... for all of us..." Ryuji said in a weak voice.</p><p>"It was tough..." Akira said.</p><p>"I'm proud of our achievement..." I sighed with the biggest smile I could muster.</p><p>"Try a tart to cleanse your pallet," Ann suggested.</p><p>"Ugh... don't even... Ugh... Gotta go to the bathroom!" Ryuji groaned.</p><p>"Me too... Please carry me gently!" Morgana said. </p><p> </p><p>I heard some snooty rich people mutter about us behind the couch Akira and I were sitting. I couldn't make out what they were saying because of the food coma that was setting in. But, whatever they muttered seemingly struck a chord with Ryuji.</p><p>"What was that?" He growled, then he burped.</p><p>"Don't have time for that! C'mon... let's go!" Ryuji said in a strangled voice. The two boys (and cat in a bag) got up and made a beeline to the bathrooms. While they went to the bathroom, Ann and I talked.</p><p>"Mari-chan, can you tell me what's wrong?" Ann asked after a few minutes of idle chatting.</p><p>"What do you mean?" I responded.</p><p>"Mari-chan, I can tell you have something on your mind. The boys know too. So tell me, what's wrong?" Ann said, gently picking up and hold my right hand. </p><p> </p><p>I sighed, now was the time.</p><p>"I'm having some... family issues at the moment," I said.</p><p>"Family issues?" Ann repeated. I saw the look in her eyes. I could tell that her mind was racing to all sorts of conclusions.</p><p>"It's not a problem with my parents just so you know," I tell my friend.</p><p>"It's just that... I'm having some trouble with a cousin of mine," I continue.</p><p>"I want to contact her, but I'm too scared."</p><p>"Too scared? What do you mean?" Ann asked. Before I could answer, the boys came back.</p><p>"Hey!" Ryui greeted.</p><p>"Guys!" Ann scolded.</p><p>"Why're you so p**** all of a sudden?" Ryuji responded with surprise.</p><p>"Sorry, Mari-chan and I were in the middle of an important discussion." Ann sighed. </p><p> </p><p>"We ran into a jerk on the upper floor, so we had to wait for another elevator," Akira said.</p><p>"Why are there so many s**** adults in the world?!" Ryuji asked in frustration as he flopped into his armchair.</p><p>"It's an unfortunate truth of this world, not everyone is kind and compassionate. There's hardly anything we can do about it." I said. There was a moment of silence that was broken by Ryuji.</p><p>"Hey, Morgana!" He said. The cat poked his head out of the bag.</p><p>"What is it?" Morgana responded.</p><p>"Anyone can have a palace, right?" He asked the cat.</p><p>"As long as they have strong, distorted desires." The cat confirmed.</p><p>"Same with stealing treasure and having a change of heart?" Ryuji continued.</p><p>"That would be the case!" Morgana said.</p><p>"Where are you going with this?" I asked. </p><p> </p><p>"I was thinkin'... maybe with this power we have, we could change the hearts of the s**** adults out there," Ryuji said.</p><p>"You mean... you wanna continue as the Phantom Thieves?" Ann asked.</p><p>"I've been thinkin'... We put a lot of effort into changing Kamoshida's heart, but nobody believes in The Phantom Thieves. Plus, all those guys who were just dealin' with it, are thanking us. Us of all people!" Ryuji explained.</p><p>"There are a lot of victims who need a beacon of light to turn too," Akira said.</p><p>"I... I agree," Ann muttered.</p><p>"We can't ignore people in need," I added.</p><p>"True!" Morgana said. From that day on, I became a member of The Phantom Thieves of Hearts! To be honest, I thought it was going to be similar to my work as Ladybug. But it was so much more than that. If I had known what's to come, I don't know if I'd joined The Phantom Thieves so eagerly. </p><p> </p><p>(Akira's pov) </p><p> </p><p>As we were exiting the hotel, Ann pulled me aside for a moment.</p><p>"Hey, Akira-kun!" She whispered.</p><p>"Yeah?" I responded.</p><p>"While you guys were in the bathroom, Mari-chan and I had a chat. You know how she's been acting weird?" Ann asked.</p><p>"Yeah?" I said.</p><p>"She told me she's been having some issues with her family, specifically her cousin," Ann told me.</p><p>"Her cousin?" I asked.</p><p>"Yeah..." Ann confirmed.</p><p>"Could you make sure she's alright?" Ann asked.</p><p>"I'll do my best," I told her. She smiled and jogged to Ryuji's side as he was walking home. I saw Mari walking to a bus stop, looking deep in thought. I power-walked to her.</p><p>"Hey, Mari-san," I said to her.</p><p>"Akira-kun? What's up?" She asked.</p><p>"Umm... Is it okay if I walk you to your apartment?" I asked.</p><p>"Sure!" Mari said with her bright smile. But, I noticed it was not as bright as it was on the first day of school when I first met her. I made a plan in my head: First, walk Mari back to her apartment. Second, send Morgana back to Lablanc. Third, go to Mari's apartment and check up on her! Perfect Plan!</p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Joan of Arc chasing around Arsene for being a demon! Arsene: Calm down, you crazy woman! Joan: The power of Christ compels you demon spawn!) </p><p> </p><p>Okay, Mari's in her apartment, and Morgana just went back to Lablanc. Now to check up on Mari! I went up to the front desk and asked which room Marinette was in. The woman behind the counter told me it was room #15. I thanked her and made my way to that room. When I arrived, I could hear faint sounds behind the door. The sounds were suspiciously similar to sobbing, and I grew worried. I knocked on the door, but nobody came. I rapped the door again, a little harder this time. But nobody answered the door. I tried to open the door, it was unlocked. Mari seriously forgot to lock the door. I walked inside and looked around. Mari had a pretty comfortable apartment, I wonder where she got the money. Mari's crying soon met my ears, and I followed the sound to her bedroom. </p><p> </p><p>I walked into her bedroom (<a href="https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrgDA_50EJfDxUA.7xXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZANDMDE1NF8xBHNlYwNwaXZz?p=pink+japanese+bedroom&amp;fr2=piv-web&amp;fr=mcafee&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tL3NlYXJjaD9mcj1tY2FmZWUmdHlwZT1FMjEwVVM5MTA4OEcwJnA9cGluaytqYXBhbmVzZStiZWRyb29t&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIASXJleaZXCt6gnMvS_TmisAZf0Y7xQr51OvPVVKj1SeeLzw_u9PV5V-rSrWBgaLc9o6QFa2EuwgKOPvItqxkifsmTeWzsBM0eX2dBm0YNOUonYfCP2m8C_ke7fofirxDH0iUCvtTBxIzZKhXN8g7J2zm46BnOl2HtpuOpByPAt&amp;_guc_consent_skip=1598214427#id=5&amp;iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F63%2F2b%2F74%2F632b747ace749bfd6463d3e65f24fadc.jpg&amp;action=click">this</a>) and saw Mari kneeling on the ground, sobbing over a picture that she clutched to her chest.</p><p>"Mari-san?" I whispered. She jumped at the sound of my voice and turned to me.</p><p>"Akira-kun?! What are you doing here?! How did you get in here?" Mari asked/yelled.</p><p>"The door was unlocked, and I heard crying," I answered calmly. I walked over to her and kneeled down next to her.</p><p>"Ann told me you had family issues, do you want to talk about it?" I asked her. Mari sighed and looked me in the eyes.</p><p>"To explain everything, I need to start from the beginning. Do you have time for my story?" She asked me.</p><p>"Of course," I said.</p><p>"This is going to be a long story, so get comfy." She told me. We sat on her soft bed, and she started to tell her story. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by the Kwamis opening the door for Akira! Did you seriously think Marinette forgot to lock her door?) </p><p> </p><p>"... Then, I flew to Shibuya to start anew. I was so focused on myself and how I could escape my problems, that I forgot about the consequences my actions would have on my family." Mari said, finishing her story. I was trying my best to absorb the information my friend just told me.</p><p>"So, let me get this straight!" I said.</p><p>"You were once a girl named Marinette Dupain-cheng, who lived a regular life in Paris. But one day, a girl called Lila Rossi came to your school and started to lie. You were the only one who saw through her lies and tried to speak out against her. But, as a result, she turned your friends against you and bullied you for two years. But one day, you had enough and went to your last remaining friends for help. They helped you <strong> fake your suicide </strong> and moved you here in Japan to start a new life." I summarize. </p><p> </p><p>"I know it sounds like overkill, but it was the only way to start a new life away from the drama in France," Mari told me.</p><p>"In my opinion, you made the right choice," I told her.</p><p>"Really?" she asked.</p><p>"This Lila girl sounds like a real bully, and your classmates are idiots for believing her. You made the right decision Mari-san. You got away from a toxic life and got a chance to restart." I explained.</p><p>"The only thing I don't get is how you're not able to talk to your cousin," I said. Mari sighed, then started to explain.</p><p>"Well, I guess my fear is to blame." She said.</p><p>"Fear?" I asked.</p><p>"Yeah... I'm scared that she'll hate me for what I did. She'll hate me for faking my suicide." Mari said, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>I looked at her, she looked so broken and scared. This was the same girl that kicked a fully armored shadow flying into a wall and faced down creatures of nightmares with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Without thinking, I pulled the small girl into a hug (A/N: No joke, when I researched Marinette's height, she was 4 ft. 11 in. or 1.5 m. But, since she's older, let's say she's now 5 ft. 3 in. or 1.6 m. Also, Akira is 5 ft. 9 in. or 1.7526 meters!). She seemed surprised for a second but hugged me back tightly. She sobbed into my shoulder while I rubbed her back comfortingly.</p><p>"I-I'm s-s-so s-scared of people h-hating me." Mari sobbed.</p><p>"It's okay, Mari-san. It's okay." I whispered soothingly. This continued on for a minute or two before Mari calmed down. I let go of Mari, and she dried her tears.</p><p>"Marinette Dupain-cheng, your cousin, if she honestly loves you, will hear you out and listen to your story. If she really loves you as a sister, she'll support your decision to live here in Japan." I told Mari. </p><p> </p><p>She looked up at me and smiled a smile brighter than the smile she gave me the first day we met.</p><p>"Thank you, Akira-kun," She said. I felt my heart flutter and butterflies dancing in my stomach. Then, a random thought came to mind.</p><p>"This is probably none of my business, but how did you fake your suicide?" I asked. Mari looked nervous at that question.</p><p>"Well..." She started, but someone cut her off.</p><p>"We helped her out on that one~." A voice said in a sing-song tone. I jumped to my feet instinctively and put my hand to my waist, where my gun is kept when I'm in the metaverse. But this is the real world, and I didn't have my pistol or my knife with me.</p><p>"Wow, you sure are jumpy~." another voice chided. Marinette got up and looked around the room with an annoyed expression on her face. </p><p> </p><p>"Come out, you guys! There's no need for this!" She said.</p><p>"Mari-san, I thought you lived alone," I said.</p><p>"I don't live with any other <em> humans </em>." She told me. Suddenly, small comets of color bolted out of nowhere! They bounced and flew around the room, sometimes spinning around Marinette or me. After a minute or two of colorful madness, the balls of light settled down and started to float around Marinette. I counted nineteen of them, each one a different color.</p><p>"Meet the Kwamis, gods, and Zodiacs incarnated into little mouse size creatures," Marinette said in a powerful yet tired voice. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There were nineteen, floating, animal-themed things floating around Marinette. And every single one of them was staring at me.</p><p>"Uhhh..." I said, trying to figure out what to feel and what to say. </p><p> </p><p>"I can understand if this is a lot for you. But if we can summon monstrous beings that represent our inner power, then there are gods that look like animals." Mari said.</p><p>"When you put it like that, I guess it makes sense," I said with a sigh. Marinette introduced me to all of the Kwamis. Tiki, Kwami of Creation, Plagg, Kwami of Destruction, Nooroo, Kwami of Transmission, Wayzz, Kwami of Protection, Trixx, Kwami of Illusions, etc. For some reason, Plagg was very interested in me.</p><p>"So, you're Akira," He said to me.</p><p>"That's my name," I responded.</p><p>"I like you, Akira," The Kwami told me, then flew out of the room.</p><p>"What is he up to now?" The red Kwami called Tiki asked with exasperation in her voice. The black cat soon returned with a silver ring in its hands(?).</p><p>"Here, kid!" Plagg said, offering the ring to me.</p><p>"Plagg! What are you doing?" Tiki said, snatching the ring away from Plagg before I could take it. </p><p> </p><p>Marinette explained to me why the Kwamis were freaking out.</p><p>"The Kwamis are tied to the Miraculous, magic jewelry. They're kind of like genies, in the way that they can sense their holder's wishes. But, they're different because they can lend a person their powers for a short while if you possess their Miraculous and say the right words." She told me. Marinette separated the two Kwamis.</p><p>"Tiki, this is Plagg's decision, and he is going to make it whether you like it or not." She told the red Kwami. Tiki sighed and flew to Pollen to chat.</p><p>"Plagg, are you sure you want to give Akira your Miraculous?" Mari asked the black Kwami.</p><p>"Yes, I am!" Plagg responded. "Are you sure? This looks a lot like one of your more impulsive ideas." Mari said.</p><p>"I am very sure! I don't know how to describe this feeling, but he feels natural to me!" Plagg said. Suddenly, I was entrusted with the Ring of the Black Cat, while Marinette held the Earrings of the Ladybug. Why is my life like this? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I just wrote three thousand words in a few days... I didn't know I had this type of potential. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, cause' I sure as heck enjoyed writing it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 10: Mementos, our next target sighted!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know there's a lot of time skips, but Persona 5 is a big game and has a ton of story. Also, I'm doing the Persona 5 Royal story (minus the red-haired chick)! So, the time skips are here to make things easier for all of us.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Mari's pov) </p><p> </p><p>It was May 7'th, Saturday, afternoon on the roof of Shujin Academy. Two days after I'd unveiled my actual self to Akira, and told him my past. Two days, since he was given the Black Cat Miraculous, and I picked up the Ladybug Miraculous once again. I instructed Akira on how to maintain his Miraculous and how to take care of Plagg. The basic:</p><p>"Don't let him be seen by other people, feed him regularly, try not to get too annoyed with him, etc." The next day at school, Akira told me that Morgana had an amusing reaction to Plagg. Apparently, Morgana thought that Plagg was a new toy, and Plagg got defensive. Morgana tried to chase the black Kwami around, but Akira stopped him and explained the situation to his feline companion. </p><p> </p><p>"Morgana was worried about sharing his tuna with Plagg, but I told him that Plagg preferred cheese over fish. Morgana settled down after that, but I did hear the two have an argument about which is better." Akira told me on our way to school that day.</p><p>"Now, I have two annoying cats..." He added with a sigh. I laughed, and he smiled. At that moment, I felt like a normal girl. It felt like I had an ordinary life, with no worries about the metaverse or the Miraculous. I was just a girl walking to school with a friend without a care in the world. If I was being honest, I had almost forgotten what a moment like that felt like. I was at peace with Akira by my side. I felt my heart race whenever Akira smiled at me, I felt so happy. And when I was lying in bed at night thinking about the day, I realized something... I had fallen in love with Akira, the leader of the Phantom Thieves, and the new holder of the black cat. </p><p> </p><p>I decided that I wouldn't go the same route I did with Adrien (give me a break, that was years ago! I've matured since that mess!). I decided that I would continue to be the bubbly girl that he and everyone else knew. Besides, I can't focus on romance, I need to focus on my studies and future! So I pushed my feelings for my black haired friend to the back of my brain and concentrated on school and Phantom Thief work. Back to the present, I was with my friends on the roof of Shujin Academy, looking over the Phan-site for a new target.</p><p>"None of these posts are any good. Everyone's just b***in' about their boyfriends or parents!" Ryuji complained as he scrolled through his phone.</p><p>"You're right, Ryuji-kun. I can't find anything that would single a possible palace either." I said with a sigh, looking through mine. </p><p> </p><p>"We can't get everything online... Finding a post with a name and a location is asking a lot." Ann sighed.</p><p>"Guess we better find one ourselves then." Ryuji sighed.</p><p>"Are you seriously suggesting we look for a target that even the police overlooked?" Morgana asked.</p><p>"You're right, Morgana. Let's wait until exams are over so that we have more free time to do Phantom Thief stuff." I said to my friends. The sound of the roof door opening made us jump, and Morgana jumped behind the massive air conditioners to avoid being spotted.</p><p>"Oh!" Ann exclaimed. Makoto Nijima walked out of the door and towards our group.</p><p>"This place is off-limits, you know," She said, scowling at my friends. She then noticed me and did a double-take.</p><p>"What the- Why are you with this group, Cheng-san?!" She asked with confusion in her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>I sighed and looked into her eyes.</p><p>"I am with my friends, and despite the rumors and their looks, they're good people," I said calmly. I'm starting to get tired of explaining why I hang out with my friends.</p><p>"Anyway, we'll get out once we're done chatin'," Ryuji said in an upbeat tone.</p><p>"But why does miss council president want with us?" He added with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>"The troublemaker, the center of gossip, and the infamous transfer student. Hmm, what an interesting combination." Makoto mused. I was becoming irritated by her comments, how dare she say that about my friends!</p><p>"Are you implying something?" I asked, a hint of anger in my voice.</p><p>"Oh! and you... The sweet girl who hangs around them for some reason." Makoto continued. Okay, now I'm angry.</p><p>"You know... ever heard the saying: <em> Ne jamais juger un livre à sa couverture </em>?" I asked.</p><p>"What?" Makoto asked. </p><p> </p><p>"it's French for: Never judge a book by its cover. You can't believe rumors and whispers without evidence, you of all people should know that." I said, walking up to the brown-haired girl.</p><p>"True... but still... if you're uncomfortable in any way, you would be wise to speak up," Makoto calmly said to me. An idea came into my head, something that piqued my curiosity. Makoto acted strangely, almost like a robot. It felt like she was being forced to do this. So, I decided to do a little experiment.</p><p>"And you would be wise to tell your family about how you're probably being bribed/threatened by the school to do their dirty work for them," I said, just as calmly. That caught her off guard.</p><p>"How did you..." Makoto began, but I cut her off.</p><p>"You're right, we do need to head home. Come on, everyone!" I say to my friends. We walked away from the stunned girl and headed out of school. On the way down, my friends gave me strange looks. </p><p> </p><p>"Cheng?" Akira whispered.</p><p>"That's my last name," I whispered back. When we arrived at the front of the school, my friends started to question me.</p><p>"How did you know about Nijima-san being threatened/bribed by the school?" Ann asked.</p><p>"I can tell when a person is being forced into something, I've seen it happen multiple times. I just took a gamble, and it paid off." I said.</p><p>"In any case, I want to show you guys something!" Morgana said, appearing next to Akira.</p><p>"What is it?" I asked.</p><p>"Well, you guys did agree to help me with my mission after all," Morgana said while Akira put him in his bag.</p><p>"Okay?" Ann said.</p><p>"Come on, let's go to the subway station!" Morgana said. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Plagg shipping Akiranette!) </p><p> </p><p>We arrived at the subway station and sat in a secluded spot outside the entrance.</p><p>"I've got the Phan-site pulled up, now what?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"Look for a post with a full name in it," Morgana instructed.</p><p>"I already said there're no big shots in here!" Ryuji whined.</p><p>"Let's just look, Ryuji-kun," I said to the blonde. After some digging, we found something of interest.</p><p>"'I don't know what to do about my ex who's stalking me, his name is Natsuhiko Nakanohara.'" Ann read aloud.</p><p>"It says that he's a teller at city hall." She continued.</p><p>"A government worker stalking someone?" Ryuji said.</p><p>"I know it sounds small, but stalking is serious!" I said to my friend. I remember a few Akumas being caused by stalking in one way or another. </p><p> </p><p>"Alright, sounds like we found a target!" Morgana said.</p><p>"Now load up the Meta-nav," he continued.</p><p>"Jumping right into a palace? Sounds good to me!" Ryuji said, pulling up the nav on his phone.</p><p>"What happened to the unanimous decision talk? What do you think, Akira-san?" Ann asked.</p><p>"Let's do it," Akira responded.</p><p>"But, we don't have the other two keywords," I said.</p><p>"Don't worry! Just type in 'Mementos'!" Morgana said.</p><p>"What are you trying to pull?" Ryuji asked the cat. But I had already whipped out my phone and typed in everything.</p><p>"Alright, it was Mementos, right?" I asked.</p><p>"Yeah... Wait, did you just type in everything?" Morgana asked. I ignored him and pressed enter. </p><p> </p><p>The nav said confirmed the words.</p><p>"We got a hit?!" Ryuji exclaimed.</p><p>"Just as I thought!" Morgana said, triumphantly. Next thing I knew, my friends and I were the only ones at the subway.</p><p>"Everyone disappeared!" Ann exclaimed.</p><p>"It kind of feels like I'm walking on air?" She added.</p><p>"Yeah... What an unusual feeling!" I said.</p><p>"Are we in the palace?" I asked.</p><p>"Not exactly..." Morgana answered.</p><p>"This is a type of Palace, just not the ones you guys are used to." He continued.</p><p>"Come on, the shadows here lurk underground."</p><p>"But how do we..." I started, but then I remembered where we were.</p><p>"Oh..." I said. We walked into the deserted subway station and headed downward. </p><p> </p><p>"Well, this is... something..." I said, looking around.</p><p>"Yeah, what's with this place?" Skull said. He then looked around.</p><p>"Wait, our clothes changed!" He said. He was right, everyone was their Phantom Thief attire. I snuck a peek at Joker, why did his look so good?</p><p>"The shadows know we're here!?" Panther asked in a panicked voice.</p><p>"Since the moment we stepped in," Mona confirmed.</p><p>"<em> Sacrebleu </em>! Why didn't you tell us, Mona?" I asked the cat (Translation (according to google translate): Damn it!).</p><p>"Don't worry, we're still safe!" Mona reassured us. He then went off and explained how Mementos is made up of the collective unconscious, and therefore, everyone's Palace. It basically meant that we could change people's hearts without the hassle of infiltrating a Palace.</p><p>"But how will we get around?" I asked. </p><p> </p><p>(Ten seconds later...) </p><p> </p><p>If I'm being honest... I don't know what came over me! The moment Mona turned into a bus, I lost it. I fangirled and hugged the cat bus (to the best of my ability). I babbled in French about <em> My Neighbor Totoro  </em> and how I always wanted to ride on a cat bus.</p><p>"Princess! Get a hold of yourself!" Mona scolded. I snapped out of it and hid my face in embarrassment.</p><p>"Sorry... I love  <em> Studio Ghibli </em>  movies. I grew up watching them.  <em> My Neighbor Totoro </em> was my favorite." I said through my hands.</p><p>"It's okay... it was just unexpected. Actually, it was kinda cute..." Joker said, mumbling the last part.</p><p>"What was that last part, bro?" Skull asked.</p><p>"Nothing!" Joker yelped with a bright red face. I giggled and boarded the Mona-mobile (A/N: That's what I'm gonna call Mona's car form now!). </p><p> </p><p>After navigating through Memento to our best abilities, we found our target, Natsuhiko Nakanohara's shadow. He started to ramble about being used as a plaything and how it isn't fair. He wasn't making any sense, so my fellow Phantom Thieves and I beat the crap out of him.</p><p>"Why am I the only one being punished? What about Madarame? He's the one who made me like this!" The shadow cried.</p><p>"Madarame?" I muttered. I know that name... He's a famous artist! I studied his art to develop my own skills. What does he have to do with this? Why do I have a bad feeling about this? </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 11: Growing and Learning!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Behold! More fangirl Marinette and fluff! Also, the plot thickens!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marintte's pov) </p><p> After we took care of Natsuhiko Nakanohara's shadow and explored mementos a bit, we made our way back up. On the way, I went over what he said in my head. What does Madarame have to do with anything? But I decided to push that to the back of my head and focus on other stuff. But something happened when we arrived at the entrance of mementos. There was a small boy in white standing next to a big, floating, glowing, yellow orb full of flowers. The glowing sphere then disintegrated, and a yellow drink appeared in the boy's hand.</p><p>"Maybe it's this one..." He muttered. He took a sip from the glass in his hand.</p><p>"Tasty!" the boy said joyfully. </p><p> I looked at the small boy in shock. How did a little kid end up in mementos? My friends and I approached the small boy.</p><p>"Hey, what's he drinking?" Ryuji asked. The small boy took notice of us, and he put his drink in his pocket (somehow).</p><p>"Oh! Hello! I thought I felt something strange." The boy said, looking up at us. I knelt to meet the boy at eye level.</p><p>"Hello there, we are the Phantom Thieves. What's a small boy like you doing in a dangerous place like this?" I asked.</p><p>"Hello, nice lady! I am Jose, and I'm here doing some research!" The boy said.</p><p>"Research?" I asked. This boy is so adorable! Jose explained his research on humans and how he uses flower juice to do his research. </p><p> After some discussion, we agreed to assist the boy in his research. In exchange, he'll trade the flowers for some useful items. Morgana voiced his concerns, and Jose responded adorably.</p><p>"Are you tired, Kitty? You seem grumpy." Jose said.</p><p>"Ignore him. He's just jealous of your cuteness!" I said to Jose.</p><p>"Cuteness?" Jose repeated.</p><p>"Of course! You are just the cutest white-haired boy ever!" I responded. I opened up my arms to him and scooped the small boy up into a hug.</p><p>"What's going on?" Jose asked.</p><p>"Princess! What are you doing?" Morgana scolded. I ignored him.</p><p>"I'm giving you a hug! It's a form of human affection." I told Jose. Jose looked like he was thinking about what I said and smiled.</p><p>"Thank you for sharing that information with me, nice lady!" He said. </p><p> I put the smol boy down and smiled.</p><p>"No problem!" I responded. The boy then reached into his pocket and pulled out something.</p><p>"Humans also give gifts to people they like, correct?" Jose asked, holding out a light blue, sparkling, star-shaped object.</p><p>"Here is my token of thanks, miss Princess!" The small boy said a big smile on his face. I almost had a heart attack from the cuteness, but I accepted the gift.</p><p>"Thank you!" I said with a smile. Jose explained how he thought the star could make wishes come true. After that, we bid our farewells, and Jose drove off in his small blue car. </p><p> I gave the star to Joker, and he looked it over.</p><p>"Can the thing really grant wishes?" Skull asked.</p><p>"Maybe..." Morgana said. Both Panther and Skull wished for food, but nothing happened.</p><p>"I highly doubt this star can make food appear out of nowhere," Joker said, putting the thing into his pocket.</p><p>"Then, it can't make wishes come true?" Skull moaned.</p><p>"Not those types of wishes anyway," I said, thinking it over.</p><p>"You know, this star was found in the Metaverse... So, it can probably help is with Phantom Thievery." I thought aloud.</p><p>"That would make sense..." Morgana said.</p><p>"In any case, let's head home!" I said. Everyone else agreed, and we exited Mementos. </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's Writer's block striking again! Pls help...) </p><p> The next day, I decided to teach Akira how to use his Miraculous. So, I invited him over to my apartment. When he arrived, I told him what we were going to do.</p><p>"So... You're gonna teach me how to be a superhero outside of the Metaverse?" Akira said.</p><p>"More or less," I said, adjusting my earrings.</p><p>"Okay... How are we gonna do this? Also, where are we gonna train?" He asked, fiddling with his ring. I smiled and picked up the Miricle box. I reached inside and pulled out a pair of glasses.</p><p>"With the Horse Miraculous!" I said triumphantly, holding them up.</p><p>"This Miraculous can teleport us to any location!" I explained when Akira looked confused.</p><p>"Cool! So, where to?" He asked.</p><p>"How about... a deserted island somewhere!" I said.</p><p>"Sounds good, let's go!" Akira said as I put on the Horse Miraculous. </p><p>(On teleportation later...) </p><p> When we arrived at the island, Akira took in his surroundings.</p><p>"What a beautiful place! Where are we?" He asked as I de-transformed.</p><p>"We're on an unexplored island somewhere in the pacific ocean," I told him.</p><p>"Cool... So, when do we start?" Akira asked.</p><p>"Right now! Tikki spots on!" I cheered as Tikki (who followed us with Plagg) got sucked into my earrings. The transformation was different, however. Instead of pink, glittery, light, I was engulfed in a swarm of glowing pink ladybugs. When the ladybugs disappeared, my Ladybug outfit was also different (A/N: Heres a <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/949798761-the-fighters-concept-and-design-ladybug%27s-new">link</a>). We both stood there in silence for a few seconds before Akira spoke up.</p><p>"Did your Ladybug costume always look like that?" He asked.</p><p>"No... It was just a red jumpsuit with black spots! Why does it look like this?" I said, turning to Plagg.</p><p>"Don't look at me! Tikki is the one who knows about this stuff, not me!" He said defensively. </p><p> "Whatever! Akira, you know what to do!" I cheered. He nodded and looked into Plagg's eyes.</p><p>"Plagg claws out!" Akira said. Plagg got sucked into the ring, and similar to my own transformation, Akira's was different. Instead of lime green lightning, a large cloud of black smoke shaped like a cat with bright green eyes enveloped Akira. When the smoke cleared, I stared in awe at Akira's outfit (A/N: here's another <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/949799530-the-fighters-concept-and-design-the-new-black-cat">link</a>).</p><p>"Are... are your ears made out of your own hair?" I asked. Akira felt the top of his head where his new cat ears were.</p><p>"Apparently so..." He said.</p><p>"Also, before we begin... We need to decide your hero's name." I said.</p><p>"How about Kuro?" Akira suggested. </p><p>"Isn't that just black in Japanese?" I asked.</p><p>"Yes. It's cool and straight to the point." He responded. I smiled at my friend and giggled.</p><p>"Alright, Kuro. Let's get started!" I said, grabbing my yo-yo. We trained for an hour. Akira, or should I say Kuro, was a real natural! He truly moved like a cat and the way he handled his staff was incredible. His Cataclysm was spectacular! After we were done training, I used my Miraculous Ladybug power to clean up.</p><p>"I think we made some good progress!" I said, de-transforming. "We did," Kuro said, also de-transforming. "Hey, why do you have multiple powers, and I only have one?" Akira asked while feeding some cheese-flavored chips to Plagg. "I don't know... But my best guess is that creation is used to both create and fix. While destruction only, well, destroys." I said, pulling out the Horse Miraculous. </p><p> "I also have another question..." Akira said.</p><p>"What is it?" I asked, putting on the Horse Miraculous.</p><p>"Do you think we could give Ann and Ryuji a Miraculous?" He asked. I paused. Sure, I had been thinking about it. I had even started to unconsciously plan which Miraculous I should give them.</p><p>"I have been thinking about it... But I don't know." I said.</p><p>"I won't force you, but I think it'll be useful." He said.</p><p>"Useful, how?" I asked.</p><p>"Why don't we test our powers in the Metaverse?" Akira suggested. I thought about it for a few seconds.</p><p>"Okay! Let's see what will happen!" I said. If I'm being honest, I was curious to see what would happen. </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's sheer will to continue writing!) </p><p> So... Turns out the power of the Miraculous can drastically change in the Metaverse! In the Metaverse, Cataclysm can be used endlessly! Luck Charm also changed. It can also be used endlessly, and I can also create anything I want. When we exited Mementos, Akira and I went back to my apartment to talk to the Kwamis about that.</p><p>"I wish I had an explanation myself... But all I can do is guess from what happened!" Tikki said.</p><p>"From what I could tell when a Miraculous enters the Metaverse, it's Kwami is automatically sucked into the Miraculous. But, the Miraculous can use it's power endlessly with no effect on the Kwami. I suspect that the immense cognitive energy of the Metaverse is responsible for this." Tiki explained. </p><p> "That makes sense... But why did my costume change?" I asked my Kwami.</p><p>"Oh! That's easy!" Tikki said happily.</p><p>"How?" I asked.</p><p>"You've changed, Marinette!" Tikki said, sincerely.</p><p>"Changed?" I asked.</p><p>"You have! You matured since I first met you over two years ago! You've grown, from a clumsy, insecure girl, to the confidant young woman I see now!" Tikki said, her big, blue eyes full of emotion. I smiled and held the small creature close.</p><p>"Thanks, Tikki," I whispered. Akira looked at me, and we made eye contact. I let go of Tikki and started to talk to him.</p><p>"I hope today was a good one for you," I told him.</p><p>"It was exciting, to say the least," He said. I giggled at that comment.</p><p>"Well, I guess Plagg was right. You are a good black cat!" I said.</p><p>"Thanks," He responded with a smile. I bid him goodbye as he left my apartment, leaving me alone. I snuggled into my Kotatsu table and started to think. What will the future have in store for my friends and me? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, this took too long! I am so sorry! Writer's block is the worst!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 12: New Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh, what fun this chapter is going to be!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>Five days later, on Friday, May 13th, I planned to introduce Ann and Ryuji to the Kwamis and give them a Miraculous. I decided that to get the best results, I let the Kwamis decide. After all, Akira is a natural black cat! Tikki said it herself:</p><p>"Choosing Akira might have been one of Plagg's few good choices." Tests were almost over too, soo that's a plus. But, imagine my surprise when there was an assembly that afternoon.</p><p>"What's this about?" I asked my friends. We were gathered in the gymnasium, waiting for it to begin.</p><p>"Don't know. But, ten yen says that the principal is trying to repair the school's reputation." Ann said.</p><p>"Oh, that? I thought that died a week or two ago!" I said. Ann giggled at my comment. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone then quieted down when the principal came on stage. The bald, obese man that was the principal of Shujin Academy started to talk about ever since the Kamoshida incident, the school has been concerned with the students' mental health. I stopped listening about a sentence in, knowing it was all B.S and that he was trying to salvage the school's dead reputation. But when he said the word therapist, I was intrigued. Maybe, this school is going in the right direction! When the guy came on stage, I didn't know what to think. Some of the girls around my friends and I started to whisper about how hot he is. </p><p> </p><p>Yes, the man is quite good looking. But, he's probably in his late twenties or early thirties! Control yourselves, ladies! He greeted everyone with an amusing yet calm voice. After fixing the mic (which had turned of for some reason), he introduced himself as Takuto Maruki. He said that he was just at the school to counsel anyone interested. He then tried to bow but bumped his head on the mic, like an idiot. I know it's mean to think of him as an idiot, but the noise that the microphone made was horrendous. After that, when all the students were gone, Akira, Ann, Ryuji, and I hung out in the courtyard.</p><p>"Never expected this place to give a s*** about our mental health," Ryuji commented.</p><p>"The school is all over the national news. They had to do something to make sure that the school's rep is somewhat salvageable." I said.</p><p>"And Doctor... uh... Doctor Whatshisname!" Ryuji said.</p><p>"Maruki," Ann said. </p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, him! Do you really think he'll do us any good?" Ryuji asked. Just then, the man himself came up to us out of nowhere!</p><p>"Ryuji..." Ann sighed.</p><p>"Hey there," he greeted. He looked us over for a few seconds before saying more.</p><p>"You two must be Takamaki-san and Sakamoto-san, right? And you two must be Cheng-san and Kurusu-kun." He said. We were all surprised at the fact that he knew our names. When Ryuji asked how Maruki knew, he told us that he was notified of several students to keep an eye on due to the Kamoshida incident before coming to the school.</p><p>"Why was I brought to your attention?" I asked, genuinely curious.</p><p>"I was told you liked to hang out with these people despite their pasts, rumors, and other negative aspects," Maruki told me. </p><p> </p><p>I sighed... was me hanging out with my friends really that surprising?</p><p>"So, What do you want with us?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten. I know I already offered my services to the student body, but would you four be interested in counseling?" Maruki asked. I was interested, but Ryuji spoke first.</p><p>"Nope, not at all." He said bluntly.</p><p>"Ryuji-kun, I think this will be very good for us!" I said to my blonde friend.</p><p>"There will also be free snacks!" Maruki put in.</p><p>"Tell me more about these snacks," Akira said. I giggled at that comment.</p><p>"Hey! Don't fall for that, you two!" Ann scolded us. I love my friends so much! After some more talking with the new counselor, we agreed to at least one counseling session each. Akira talked to Maruki a bit more in private while Ryuji, Ann, and I went to the front gates. </p><p> </p><p>On the way, I invite them over to my apartment to hang out.</p><p>"Sound cool, gonna have to call my mom first," Ryuji said.</p><p>"Yeah, let me call my parents too," Ann said. We stopped at the front gates to wait for Akira. Ann and Ryuji called their parents to tell them about my invitation, and I took out my phone and texted Akira. </p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>(A/N: <strong> Bold = Akira,  </strong> <em> Italics = Marinette </em>) </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Hey, Akira!  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> What is is? </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> So, I'm gonna tell Ann and Ryuji about my "Special Jewelry."  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> Oh, Really? </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Yes, I think it'll be useful in the future. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> I better see this!  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> We're waiting for you at the gates! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>~~+~~</p><p> </p><p>I put my phone away at the same time Ann and Ryuji did. After waiting for another minute, Akira walked up to us. My friends and I made our way to my apartment in Shibuya. On the way, thoughts swirled in my head. I wondered what Miraculous my two blonde friends would have. I was curious to see what their reactions would be to my secret. If I'm being truthful, I wanted to relive my early days of Ladybug. I wished to jump from rooftop to rooftop with my friends again without a care in the world! But, I left those days behind, as I did with Paris. I am now a new girl in Japan, showing my most classified secret with my closest friends. I hope that the Miraculous will be helpful in the future. </p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Plagg eating cheesy curry!) </p><p> </p><p>(Third person pov) </p><p> </p><p>To say Ann and Ryuji were surprised would have been an understatement. Ann nearly shrieked when she saw the miniature gods and Zodiacs. Ryuji scrambled away and put his back against Marinette's living room wall. After calming their friends down, Marinette and Akira explained what they were seeing.</p><p>"Wait! So these... things... are gods and Zodiacs as living beings. That can give a fraction of their power to humans that wear specific accessories when the human says certain words in a particular order?" Ann said.</p><p>"That's one way to put it... but yeah," Marinette said.</p><p>"That's cool and all... but why are you showing this to us? This has gotta be your most protected secret ever!" Ryuji asked, a questioning look on his face. </p><p> </p><p>Marinette sighed and started to explain.</p><p>"You guys are my friends, and I trust you with my life. We've been to the Metaverse and fought side by side. We've all seen some messed up stuff in our lives. I want to give you guys a symbol of my trust in the form of a Miraculous. I already gave Akira one, the ring of the Black Cat, it's the silver ring he's wearing." Akira held up his right hand to show off.</p><p>"I have one too, the Ladybug earrings," Marinette added, showing them to Ann and Ryuji.</p><p>"The Miraculous do work in the Metaverse. Actually, they are even more powerful in the Metaverse! So... what do you say?" Marinette asked. </p><p> </p><p>Ann and Ryuji looked at each other and smiled.</p><p>"Well, we can't refuse after a speech like that!" Ann said.</p><p>"Also, having superpowers in real life outside the Metaverse? Where do we sign up?!" Ryuji said.</p><p>"Here's the thing... you don't choose your Miraculous... The Miraculous chooses you!" Marinette told her two blonde friends.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"Well, the black cat Kwami, Plagg, chose Akira, and he's a natural with the Miraculous! So, I figured that to get the best results... I let the Kwamis pick their wielders!" Marinette explained.</p><p>"Okay... let's do this!" Ryuji said. Just like that, all the Kwamis (except Tiki and Plagg) flew around the two blondes. After a few minutes, most of the Kwamis retreated back to Marinette. All, except two, Pollen and Xuppu. The bee and monkey Kwamis floated around the two blondes with curiosity. Pollen hovered close to Ann and started to talk to her. </p><p> </p><p>"What's your name?" Pollen asked.</p><p>"It's Ann Takamaki," Ann responded. Meanwhile, Xuppu did the same with Ryuji.</p><p>"Who are you?" The monkey Kwami asked.</p><p>"Ryuji Sakamoto, little buddy!" Ryuji said. Both Pollen and Xuppu looked to each other, smiled, and zoomed over to the Miracle box. They pulled out their Miraculous and handed them to Ann and Ryuji. Marinette looked happy with this. </p><p> </p><p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>So... the bee and the monkey... This should be good. I started to explain the powers that come with the Miraculous.</p><p>"Ann, the power of the bee is very straight forward. It's called Venom, and it allows you to immobilize any living thing for a short time. Ryuji, I should warn you that the monkey is a little chaotic. The power is called Uproar. It can allow you to throw a toy-like idem at your enemies and disable their abilities for a short time. I trust that you'll use these powers responsibly." I say to my two blonde friends.</p><p>"You can count on us!" Ryuji said, putting on the golden circlet.</p><p>"Yeah! Also, the ability to immobilize and disable opponents? These will be so useful in the Metaverse!" Ann said, putting the comb in her hair. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, and one more thing!" I said.</p><p>"For the Bee Miraculous, you need to say, "Pollen, Buzz on!" to transform and say, "Pollen, Buzz off!" when you want to change back. For the Monkey Miraculous, it's the same thing, but you need to say, "Xuppu, Showtime!" and "Xuppu, Naptime!". Makes sense?" I say. The two blondes nodded.</p><p>"Great! Let's start practicing then!" I said, grabbing the Horse Miraculous. I teleported my friends and me to the island that Akira trained at. Ann and Ryuji transformed when we arrived. Their costumes were similar to mine and Akira's in the way that they were formal wear. Ann wore a yellow 1950's style dress with black stripes, complete with yellow and black gloves, tights, and heals. Ryuji wore a messy, brown, and yellow suit. Loose tie, unbuttoned jacket, just really untidy (here are the links: <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/949803163-the-fighters-concept-and-design-the-new-bee">Ann's</a> <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/949803484-the-fighters-concept-and-design-the-new-monkey">Ryuji's</a>). </p><p> </p><p>And just like Akira, my blonde friends were naturals with the Miraculous. Ann (known as Honeybee) was quick and accurate with Venom. Ryuji (known as Kong) was fast and surprising (Akira had a hard time dodging). By the end of it all, I was glad to have shown the Miraculous to my fellow Phantom Thieves. Each Miraculous seems to fit them like a velvet glove. I can't wait to see how the Miraculous helps us in our Phantom Thievery!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well... This took longer than expected!<br/>Also, the first few links for the costumes don't work for some reason, here: <br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Black-Cat-Kuro-aka-Akira-Kurusu-858085218<br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Black-Cat-Kuro-aka-Akira-Kurusu-pt-2-858085447<br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/Ladybug-s-New-Outfit-858085565<br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Bee-HoneyBee-aka-Ann-Takamaki-858085683<br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Monkey-Kong-aka-Ryuji-Sakamoto-858085836</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 13: How Artful~</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Who wants to see Marinette protecting her friends?!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>The day after I gave Ann and Ryuji their Miraculous was the last day of midterms! I joined my friends in the subway on the way to school, when something odd happened. We were waiting for our train, Ryuji and Morgana were arguing like always (why do they do that?). Ann told them to be quiet when she suddenly stopped midsentence and looked around nervously.</p><p>"Is something wrong, Ann-chan?" I asked her.</p><p>"No, it's nothing..." Ann responded. I was concerned, so I kept an eye out as well. On the train, Ann looked jumpy. She kept touching the bee Miraculous in her hair and looking around. </p><p> </p><p>When we got off the train, Ann looked around, a hand over the Miraculous in her hair. We got on the escalator, and Ann looked over her shoulder.</p><p>"Oh, my God! That guy got off!" She gasped. I whipped my head around at her words.</p><p>"Wait, what?" I asked.</p><p>"Isn't this bad?!" Ann asked Akira. Ryuji yawned, and Ann looked annoyed with him.</p><p>"Hey! At least act like you care!" Ann scolded.</p><p>"Fine... come on..." Ryuji said, walking up the escalator. We followed him, and he got us in position to ambush this possible weirdo! Ann and I stood outside the subway entrance, while Akira and Ryuji stood out of sight to come in if necessary. Sure enough, I heard footsteps behind Ann and me. It took a lot in me to not whip around and yell and the guy behind us. When the footsteps got too close, Ann and I turned around. Akira and Ryuji stood between us and... a tall highschool guy? </p><p> </p><p>After a few moments, Ryuji looked at Ann and said:</p><p>"Hey, uh... are you sure that's him? Or are you that self-conscious?" Ann gave him a dirty look.</p><p>"Is there something you want?" The guy said.</p><p>"That's my line! You were the one stalking me!" Ann demanded, pointing her finger at him. I sighed and stepped in.</p><p>"Stalking is a strong word, I think 'following' is a better term. But, I have to agree, why are you following my friend?" I ask him.</p><p>"Well..." He started, but a car horn cut him off. A black car pulled up to where we were standing. The back window was lowered to reveal a smiling old man.</p><p>"My goodness... I had wondered why you left the car." the old man said. </p><p> </p><p>"So, this is where your passion led. All is well that is ends well." The old man laughed. I was so confused...</p><p>"I saw you from the car... and I couldn't help myself from chasing after you." The guy in front of us said. <em> That isn't creepy at all!  </em>I thought to myself. After some more talking, he told us that he wanted to paint Ann. He stepped closer to Ann, saying something about passion. I was about to step in, but Ryuji beat me to it. He told the guy to hold his horses and asked who he was. The guy then introduced himself as Yusuke Kitagawa. After more talking, he informed us that the old man in the car was his sensei, Ichiryusai Madarame. Before getting in the car with Madarame, he gave us tickets to the art exhibition Madarame was in. The art exhibition was the next day. After he drove off, Ryuji asked Ann if he was really going. Ann said she was, and then she ran off because oh yeah, we still have school! I ran after her, and the boys followed. </p><p> </p><p>At the end of the day, the exams were finally over!</p><p>"It's over!" Ann yawned.</p><p>"It's over..." Ryuji repeated sleepily.</p><p>"We're free! Yay!" I said weakly.</p><p>"I'm feeling confidant that I did well," Akira said.</p><p>"Glad to hear that," I said with a smile. We talked a bit more, and Ann said she had some spare tickets, so we decided to go with her to the art exhibit!</p><p> </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by the Phan-site!) </p><p> </p><p>When we arrived at the art exhibit, Yusuke was waiting for us. He offered to show Ann around while leaving Akira, Ryuji, and me behind. Rude, but, whatever! I wandered around, looking at the art that was all around me. To be frank, I was amazed at all of the art around me. They were all so unique and different, it was hard to believe that they were all created by one man. That thought set of warning bells in my head. I was an artist myself, in my own way. These works must have taken a long time to paint, and Madarame looked way too old to have that much time or energy. Then I noticed Ryuji leaning against a wall. He looked troubled, and Akira wasn't with him. I walked over to him.</p><p>"Hey, Ryuji-kun! Is something wrong?" I asked him. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, hey, Mari-san," Ryuji responded.</p><p>"It's nothing... just... thinking about a few things,"</p><p>"Care to share?" I asked.</p><p>"If you want to, that is..." I added nervously.</p><p>"Well... It's just that I've known Ann for years, but she's always with other guys. And it just... bothers me so much! Like this, Yusuke guy! I don't know what's going on in his head, but Ann shouldn't have anything to do with it!" He told me. I thought about what he said, trying to figure it out. Then, it came to me.</p><p>"So... What you're saying is... that you have a crush on her?" I ask.</p><p>"W-w-what!? How- huh?!" My blonde male friend spluttered.</p><p>"Where did that come from?!" He asked.</p><p>"It's just a theory based on what you told me," I said.</p><p>"And I can't blame you for it. Ann is quite attractive." I added. </p><p> </p><p>Ryuji tried to make coherent sentences but failed miserably.</p><p>"Ryuji-kun, take my advice. You might want to confess before she's taken by someone else." I said, walking away. It was some tough love, but he needs it. I probably need to take my own advice with Akira, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes. Besides, Akira deserves someone better than me. He deserves someone honest and pretty, not a girl who faked her own suicide to get away from a few bullies who were ruining her life. I then spotted Akira and walked up to him. I looked in the same direction he was looking and noticed Madarame talking to a reporter. Ryuji then joined us. We overheard that Madarame lives in a shack, which was strange. I wondered if Yusuke lived with him before being trampled by Madarame's fans. We left after that, but we left Ann behind. </p><p> </p><p>We met at our new hideout to talk.</p><p>"That old lady totally elbowed me..." Ryuji groaned, sitting on the floor.</p><p>"did it leave a bruise?" I asked.</p><p>"I think I'm good. But, thanks to that, I remember now." Ryuji answered.</p><p>"About what?" Akira asked.</p><p>"It was a post online, hold on," Ryuji said, scrolling through his phone.</p><p>"Here, look at this." He said, showing his phone to Akira and me. Just then, Ann walked up to us.</p><p>"Why did you guys leave me behind!?" She said, upset.</p><p>"We're sorry, Ann-chan! We were getting trampled by the crowd, and we needed to get out!" I apologized.</p><p>"Just look at this!" Ryuji said, holding up his phone to us. </p><p> </p><p>"This post might be about Madarame." He continued. That statement caught our attention.</p><p>"Well, let's hear it!" I said.</p><p>"'A master of the Japanese arts is plagiarizing his pupil's work. Only his public face is shown on tv.'" Ryuji read aloud.</p><p>"Plagiarizing?!" Ann exclaimed.</p><p>"I didn't think much on it at the time, but hearing 'Madarame' and 'Shack' triggered it," Ryuji said. He finished reading the post to us. When he finished, I was in shock.</p><p>"Abuse on top of plagiarism, hm," Morgana said.</p><p>"Well, that's messed up," I said. We continued to talk it over some more Ann told us that Yusuke gave her his contact info.</p><p>"That's good, let's go over there tomorrow," I suggested.</p><p>"What!? You want me to model tomorrow?! This is too sudden!" Ann said. "Relax, Ann-chan. We are only gonna talk to him." I reassured her. Ann calmed down at that statement. </p><p> </p><p>(The next day...) </p><p> </p><p>After school, my friends and I went to Yusuke's residence to investigate Madarame. When we got there, I thought we must have gone the wrong way. From the looks on my friends' faces, they thought so too.</p><p>"Is... that it?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>"We went the right way... right?" I asked.</p><p>"This is the right address," Ann said, looking unsure herself. I looked at the door plate.</p><p>"The door plate says Madarame, this must be the right place," I said.</p><p>"Uh... you ring the bell," Ryuji said to Ann.</p><p>"Me?! The walls won't collapse when I do, will they?" Ann asked nervously.</p><p>"Nobody sneeze, or we'll blow the house down, okay?" Morgana said.</p><p>"I think we'll be fine," I said, walking up to the door. </p><p> </p><p>Ann walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. I noticed that it was a speaker doorbell, similar to Kagami's doorbell back in Paris.</p><p>"Who is it?" Yusuke's voice said through the speaker.</p><p>"Sensei is currently-" He started, but Ann cut him off.</p><p>"Um... it's Takamaki."</p><p>"I'll be right out!" Yusuke said.</p><p>"People really do live here..." Ryuji muttered. The door opened to reveal Yusuke with an excited expression on his face.</p><p>"Takamaki-sa-..." He started, but then he saw the rest of us.</p><p>"You came too?" He said in an annoyed voice. <em> Rude, </em> I thought.</p><p>"Hello to you too, Yusuke-kun," I said in a semi-sweet voice.</p><p>"We're not here for that modeling thing, we want to ask something we've been curious about." I continued. I nodded to Ryuji to take the lead. He then asked about the plagiarism and abuse we read about.</p><p>"Are you serious?" Yusuke asked with an annoyed expression. </p><p> </p><p>"We've read about it online," Ryuji said, pulling up the post on his phone and showing Yusuke.</p><p>"This...?" Yusuke asked. He then started to laugh like a maniac, which caused me to hide behind Akira in surprise.</p><p>"Are you okay, Yusuke-kun?" I asked with concern from my hiding place behind my black-haired friend.</p><p>"I am perfectly fine. This is preposterous! Not only is the plagiarism impossible, but abuse? He welcomes pupils into his home! This is no act of violence; it is charity!" Yusuke responded, anger in his voice.</p><p>"Yes, but what he's doing to his pupils is a different story," I said, stepping out from behind Akira. Yusuke then turned to me.</p><p>"I'm his pupil! I can say for certain that these statements are untrue!" He said. </p><p> </p><p>I just looked at him with a pitiful expression. Was he in denial about it? He looks and sounds a bit like Adrian/cat noir when he found out that his father was Hawkmoth and Natalie was Mayura.</p><p>"You might be lying!" Ryuji said, stepping in.</p><p>"That's... That's utter rubbish!" Yusuke snapped back. <em> Your demeanor, tone, and hesitance say otherwise.  </em> I thought, still looking at the tall boy in front of me with a sad expression. He explained that Madarame took him in when he had no family.  <em> So, he thinks he owes a life debt to Madarame... That explains why he's so defensive! </em> I thought. Yusuke then said that if we continued to talk badly about Madarame, we would regret it. </p><p> </p><p>At least that is what I got from his old fashioned way of talking.</p><p>"... You really think that?!" Ann asked him. Just then, Madarame appeared at the doorway.</p><p>"Yusuke?" He called.</p><p>"What's the matter? I heard yelling." Madarame asked.</p><p>"These people are slandering you with baseless rumors," Yusuke said. "We were just curious about one or to things. No need to exaggerate anything." I put in.</p><p>"They must have heard some unfavorable rumors and came in worried for their friend's safety," Madarame said.</p><p>"... Understood sensei," Yusuke said. Madarame stayed for a bit, talking how a cranky old man like him couldn't be liked by everyone. He then told us to keep it down because he doesn't want to disturb the neighbors. He then left, and Yusuke apologized to us for getting angry. </p><p> </p><p>He then showed us a painting that Madarame had painted himself. The picture he showed us was incredible.</p><p>"It's his maiden work as well as his most represented piece- It's titled: Sayuri!" Yusuke explained.</p><p>"It reminds me of the <em> Mona Lisa </em>  back in Paris." I thought aloud.</p><p>"You've seen the  <em> Mona Lisa </em> ?" Yusuke asked.</p><p>"I used to live in Paris before moving to Japan. I had a friend who was the daughter of the curator of the  <em> Louvre </em>. We would sometimes spend time together there, I got to see so much." I said, getting a little lost in my memories.</p><p>"In any case, the Sayuri is what inspired me to become an artist," Yusuke explained. So that's his motive! I've got to say, I can't blame him. That is a beautiful painting. But why do I have a feeling of foreboding?</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Haha! Cliffhanger! I'm so evil! But don't worry, my dear readers! The next chapter will be out as soon as possible!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 14: An Afternoon at the Museum.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh, boy! Here we go!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov)</p>
<p> So, there I was, outside Madarame's house, talking to my friends about what we just found out. </p>
<p>"Those two... seem like nice guys, don't they?" Ryuji said. </p>
<p>"Maybe the Madarame in mementos was a different person?" Ann suggested. </p>
<p>"Maybe... But we also have to take into account that what we just saw could have been an act." I responded. I had another flashback to Paris, how Lila acted. How she twisted my friends. </p>
<p>"That might be true... let's check the Meta-nav!" Morgana said. As Akira pulled out his phone, Plagg popped his head out of Akira's bag. </p>
<p>"So, gonna change some hearts?" He asked. </p>
<p>"Plagg, don't show yourself in public!" Tiki scolded, poking out of my purse. </p>
<p> I just sighed, and Akira exhaled through his nose. Then, Pollen and Xuppu popped their heads out of Ann's and Ryuji's bags. </p>
<p>"Are we doing this now?" Xuppu asked with a mischievous giggle. </p>
<p>"What is going on?" Pollen asked. </p>
<p>"Guys, we are trying to go into a palace. Please go back into your bags." I told the Kwamis. </p>
<p>"Alright, good luck, kid!" Plagg told Akira before disappearing into the bag. </p>
<p>"Do your best, Marinette!" Tiki encouraged, before going back into my purse. </p>
<p>"Have fun, Ryuji!" Xuppu cheered, then hiding in his bag. </p>
<p>"I wish you good fortune, my Queen." Pollen said, retreating into Ann's bag. I smiled all the Kwamis looked happy with my friends. </p>
<p> After some trial and error, we figured out that Madarame had a palace. It was also a museum, for some reason. </p>
<p>"It's so extravagant... to the point where it's gaudy," Panther commented. </p>
<p>"I have to agree... how does he see that shack as... this?" I said, gesturing at the building in front of us. </p>
<p>"Well... a palace is a world formed by a mind twisted with desires-remember Kamoshida's castle?" Mona said. <br/>"How can we forget?" I said. The things I've seen in that castle will scar me for years. </p>
<p>"But, Madarame's work is already in museums. His art exhibit was popular, and people already respect him. Why would he fantasize about a museum?" Panther asked. </p>
<p>"You gotta point... It ain't really related to plagiarism or abuse, either." Skull agreed. </p>
<p> "I have this nagging feeling that the abuse or plagiarism isn't the source of Madarame's distortions, judging from the look of his palace anyway. Maybe... no, I need more evidence." I thought aloud. </p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Joker asked. </p>
<p>"It's nothing, let's just do this!" I told him. We climbed over the wall and into a garden, why, is there a garden? We then climbed up some handy stairs, jumped onto some convenient pillars, then onto the roof. After some searching, we found an open skylight. </p>
<p>"This is... weirdly convenient for us..." I commented. </p>
<p>"It's a way in, let's jump in!" Skull said. </p>
<p>"That's a pretty long fall... will we be able to get out?" Panther asked. </p>
<p>"I have a rope, should we head in?" Mona asked Joker. </p>
<p>"Let's do it," Joker said. We then descended into the museum. </p>
<p> We landed onto the ground and looked around. What we saw... I didn't really know what to expect. We landed in a room full of paintings, but something was odd. </p>
<p>"Is it just me, or are the paintings... moving?" I asked. </p>
<p>"It's not just you," Panther responded. </p>
<p>"C'mon, we're in a palace. Moving pictures is nothing to freak out over." Skull said. </p>
<p>"Your right, sorry!" I said. </p>
<p>"Whatever! Let's just explore this palace." Morgana said. We explored the room we landed in, examining the paintings on the walls. After a few minutes of searching, I found something. </p>
<p>"Hey, guys, I've got something!" I said, looking at the painting. The others soon joined me in front of the portrait of...</p>
<p>"Isn't that the guy that was s*** talking Madarame in mementos?" Skull asked. </p>
<p>"Yeah... I think his name was Natsuhiko Nakanohara." I responded. </p>
<p>"Right, his name is written on the plaque next to it," Mona said, pointing to it. </p>
<p>"Why is a painting of him here?" Skull asked. </p>
<p>"He probably was a former pupil of Madarame's. Maybe this is how Madarame views his pupils." I thought aloud. </p>
<p>"That's highly likely, Princess. You're good at this." Mona said. </p>
<p>"I'm only making assumptions based on what you told me," I replied, blushing a little. We kept on searching, but only for another minute. We found the portrait of Yusuke Kitagawa. That proved my theory on how he viewed his pupils and former pupils. </p>
<p> We continued to explore the museum, picking up a map too. We found it on a stand at the front desk, convenient! We then made our way to the room behind the front desk. The statue in that room took my breath away. A golden vortex with people being caught up in it. </p>
<p>"Look at this!" Mona said, pointing to the statue. </p>
<p>"What a beautiful statue!" I said. </p>
<p>"Princess, I hate to burst your bubble, but read the plaque," Skull said. I looked at the sign he was pointing at started to read. </p>
<p>"The Infinite Spring, A conglomerate work of art that the great director Madarame created using his own funds. These individuals must offer their ideas to the director for the rest of their lives. Those who can not do so have no worth living?!" I read. </p>
<p>"Hey, this might have something to do with the plagiarism, right?" Panther asked. </p>
<p>"Damn it! What a phony geezer!" Skull said. </p>
<p>"In other words, his pupils are his property. He doesn't even qualify to be an artist if this is true." Mona said. I just stood there, looking at the statue. </p>
<p>"He treats them like tools... keeping them around until they're not useful anymore. He thinks that taking their ideas and art is okay..." I muttered. </p>
<p>"Why's Yusuke keepin' quiet about this? He's got no reason to cover this up!" Skull raged. </p>
<p>"He did say he owes Madarame his life for taking him in..." Panther said. </p>
<p>"But still..." Skull said. </p>
<p>"Skull, I agree with you. But, I don't think Yusuke is in the right state of mind. He was raised by Madarame. He probably thinks that what Madarame is doing is okay." I said. </p>
<p>"What's the call? Isn't this enough to go after Madarame?" Skull asked Joker. </p>
<p>"What do you think?" Joker asked Mona. </p>
<p>"We should confirm these facts with Yusuke first," Mona said. </p>
<p>"Yeah!" Panther agreed. </p>
<p>"Confirm what, though!?" Skull asked incredulously.</p>
<p>"It means we should get solid evidence that such crimes took place," Mona explained. Skull looked like arguing with Mona (I'm getting sick of this), but I stepped in. </p>
<p>"What Mona means is that we can't fully trust what the palaces show. Remember what we saw in Kamoshida's Palace? They were highly exaggerated cognition, not the real thing. We need confirmation that this is how he truly treats his pupils or his cognition exaggerating it." I explained. </p>
<p>"I guess that makes sense... Still, what a pain in the a**." Skull muttered. </p>
<p>"Adding to what Princess was saying, we still don't know much about Madarame," Mona said. </p>
<p>"I might be able to get something out of Yusuke if I accept his modeling offer." Panther suggested. </p>
<p>"Wait, you're gonna do that?!" Mona asked. </p>
<p>"You better come with me, okay? I'm too scared to go alone..." Panther said. </p>
<p>"Don't worry, we've got your back!" I reassured her. After that, we all agreed to prepare for confronting Yusuke. I hope he is willing... but with our track record so far, I have a feeling something will go wrong. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Madarame's palace! Whoo! Here comes the creative juice!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 15: Truth learning...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, look... I know Marinette is a little out of character. But, she's different as a result of the two years of bullying she endured. Also, I stuck her with my sense of humor, just to spice things up! That out of the way, on to the story!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> The next day after school, my friends and I went to Yusuke's and Madarame's place. When we arrived, Yusuke brought us to his painting room. Akira, Ryuji, and I sat on some chairs off to the side. Ann sat on a stool in front of the easel, which Yusuke was prepping. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought it would be just yourself coming, Takamaki-san," Yusuke said. This guy is still a rude boy, I see... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wouldn't you get nervous too if it was just the two of us?" Ann responded with a nervous giggle. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're here to keep an eye on you, so, uh, don't do anything perverted 'kay?" Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stop making such odd assumptions. I have absolutely no interest in Takamaki-san as someone of the opposite sex," Yusuke said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That is... one way to put that... though if taken out of context, that would lead to some... bizarre conclusions...</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh?" Ann said. She apparently came to one of those bizarre conclusions. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is there a problem?" Yusuke asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...No, not really," Ann responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well then, let's get started!" Yusuke said, pulling out a paintbrush. After a few seconds, Ann tried to start a conversation with Yusuke. But, he ignored her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's no use guys when an artist starts to do their art, they enter a zone where they focus on nothing but their art," I told my friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This isn't what we planned! We were gonna catch him off guard and make him spill the beans, weren't we?" Morgana said worriedly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How were we supposed to know this was gonna happen?" Ryuji whispered to the cat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I had an inkling that it would, but I didn't know that he would focus so intently on his art," I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seriously!? Guess we gotta wait till he's done... What an efin' pain in the a**..." Ryuji muttered. I felt a pang of guilt for not telling my friends about this, but what's done is done, I guess... So, we waited. Akira sat to my right and Ryuji to my left. Morgana was in Akira's bag with Plagg on Akira's lap. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Perhaps I should try going outside this room..." Morgana suggested to Akira. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't get caught," Akira told him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh, who do you think you're talking to?" Morgana said with a hint of arrogance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is too boring, so I'm going to scout around a bit," Morgana added before leaving. Yusuke was so absorbed in his art, he didn't even notice our feline friend leaving. I doubt he even realized Morgana was there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> After a while, Yusuke suddenly slumped down with a defeated face. He must have hit an artist block... I can relate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's no good..." He muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?!" Ryuji said, standing up suddenly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry... am I the problem?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, not at all. It's just... I'm having trouble staying focused today. I'm sorry, but we'll have to resume another time." Yusuke sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, Hell, no! How many hours do you think you made us wait?!" Ryuji yelled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ryuji-kun, art takes time. And judging from the type of art Yusuke-kun is doing, it'll take a while." I told my angry, blonde male friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"At least one person here is familiar with the fine arts!" Yusuke said, giving me an appreciated look. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Suddenly my friends all got up, And judging from their determined faces, they were about to ask Yusuke about Madarame. I sighed and got up with them. This is probably not the best way to go about this, but what choice do we have?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry... We had another reason for seeing you today... We need to talk to you..." Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's about those rumors regarding your sensei," Ryuji said. I braced myself for Yusuke's anger that was bound to come. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This again?" Yusuke said, standing up with an annoyed expression. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say, so I stayed silent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That painting I saw at the exhibit... You're the one who actually painted it, right?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's..." Yusuke started, but Ryuji cut him off. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your sensei is seriously messed up. Madarame just thinks of his pupils as tools. That's why he doesn't give a damn whenever he steals their work or physically beats them. I'll make this clear, there's no point hidin' stuff from us!" Ryuji told Yusuke. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahaha... I have no idea what you're talking about..." Yusuke said with a nervous hinge in his voice. That's when I decided to break my silence. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yusuke-kun, it doesn't matter if he took you in when you were a little kid! If he hurt you, took valuable things from you, or is a plain Jacka** to you... you have every right to walk away! If you have trouble with doing that, just ask us for help!" I told him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Yusuke looked shocked at my outburst, but quickly recovered and shot back: </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh? And you did something similar?" with an irritated face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why, yes, actually," I responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> At my words, he, Ann, and Ryuji did a double-take. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"W-what do you mean?" Yusuke asked. He had a look of concern and curiosity in his eyes. I saw that Ann and Ryuji had a similar look on their faces. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, without getting into to much detail, I had a bullying problem when I was living in France. I had endured it for about two years, and the worse part is that the people bullying me were my friends." I started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Akira looked away... he knew the story... he knew where this was going... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then, one day, around a month ago, I had enough and went to the only friends I had left. They helped me move here to Japan and get the bullies off my back. Those bullies ruined my life in France, so I ran away to Japan to get a fresh start. It is possible to get away from a toxic situation, so listen to me and save yourself." I pleaded to Yusuke. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Yusuke looked at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. Was he gonna take my advice or brush it off? I saw out of the corner of my eye that Ann and Ryuji were staring at me. Ryuji was just plain shocked while Ann had her hands over her mouth in shock. I felt a pang of guilt for not telling them, but I never got a chance to before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's just as you all say. We're... our sensei's 'artwork'" Yusuke said. That caught me off guard, as well as the rest of my friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't misinterpret me, though. I offered my ideas to Madarame. As such, it can't be called plagiarism. Sensei is just suffering from artist's block at the moment." Yusuke continued. I wanted to face-palm so badly at that moment, and I could tell my friends felt the same way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't get me wrong, your story is very inspiring, Marinette-san. I am glad you got away from the people who hurt you. But, I am not in a similar situation." Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Dude, still..." Ryuji muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yusuke turned his head away from us. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kitagawa-kun..." Ann sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then why are you stickin' around?! All his other pupils ran away! Aren't you the only one left?!" Ryuji asked, incredulous. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's wrong with a pupil wanting to help his master? There are no victims here! Stop pushing your self-centered righteousness on me!" Yusuke asked angrily. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yusuke-kun, there is nothing wrong with a pupil wanting to help his master. It's just that the explanation you just gave us doesn't include the other pupils. I doubt they would willingly give up their art to Madarame only for him to take all the credit." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to agree with Mari-san, in every way I look at it, Madarame is just stealing from his pupils. How are you okay with this?" Akira asked. Yusuke looked at the two of us. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm supporting sensei as his pupil. Wheres the wrong in that?" Yusuke asked, before sitting on a stool behind his easel. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't ever come here again... if you do, I'll sue for causing a disturbance." Yusuke continued. I just stared at him with pity. He's just lying to himself at this point... I feel so bad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold it! We're not done talkin' here!" Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then you leave me with no choice..." Yusuke said, standing up and taking out his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm reporting you to the police," Yusuke said calmly. My friends and I were surprised by that statement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I asked Takamaki-san to be my model today, but I don't recall ever calling the rest of you here!" Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What the eff, man?!" Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ryuji, stop it! Calm down, okay?" Ann scolded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Damnit!" Ryuji cursed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I won't report you... but under one condition." Yusuke said, putting his phone away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And that is?" I asked. Yusuke turned to Ann. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I want you to be my model, Takamaki-san," Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But you said that it wasn't working out today..." Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's because I was unconsciously being modest for your sake. However, I have nothing to worry about anymore. If you're willing to bear everything to me..." Yusuke started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I am not liking where this is going! What is he going to suggest?! I don't know if I want to know! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I will put my heart and soul into creating the best nude painting ever!" Yusuke declared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> ... please tell me he's joking or I heard him wrong. Ryuji and Ann expressed their shock and anger (well, Ryuji was angry, and Ann was more shocked). If Akira was shocked or angry, he didn't show it. I was just standing there, trying to prosses what Yusuke just said. I barely heard the following conversation. When I finally processed what Yusuke said, I was angry and disgusted. Ann was sixteen, SIXTEEN! She is a minor! That means if Yusuke made that painting, it would be considered child p***! I wanted to tell (scream) Yusuke this, and apparently, the look on my face showed it because Akira said: </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We have to leave... before Mari-san explodes." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah... he's got us this time... and, yeah Mari-san, are you okay?" Ryuji asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Perfectly... fine!" I said in a strained voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure? You're oozing an evil aura..." Ann commented. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was right! I was emitting an evil aura... how had I not noticed? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's just go..." I sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Ryuji opened the door to find Morgana waiting for us outside. He asked if we were done, and Yusuke must have heard him because he looked up from his desk where he was sitting and muttered about a cat. Ryuji then shoved Morgana into Akira's bag, and we hurried outside. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> When we arrived outside Madarame's and Yusuke's house, an angry buzzing sound was coming from Ann's bag. The source of the buzzing was a very enraged Bee Kwami, Pollen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pollen?! Are you okay?" Ann asked her Kwami worriedly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Forgive my anger, my Queen. But that... man... wants to paint you without any CLOTHES!!" Pollen raged. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pollen, I agree with you. It is wrong, and I am pretty sure it's illegal." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, hold the phone! Yusuke wants to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!" Morgana asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's continue this conversation at my apartment, it's only a few blocks away," I suggested. My friends agreed that that would be a suitable course of action. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thrill of the Hunt</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s literally over a year-long hiatus! I'm not salty, you're salty!) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> When my friends and I got to my apartment and settled down, Ann and Ryuji asked (rather worriedly) if what I told Yusuke was true. I was slightly hesitant at first, but with Akira's support and encouragement, I told them. I told Ann and Ryuji my full story, from when Lila first came to school, to when I escaped to Japan. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my God..." Ann muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Holy s***..." Ryuji breathed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I just sat at my kotatsu, looking down at my hands, remembering everything. Akira was by my side, giving me silent support. Ann and Ryuji sat on the opposite side of my kotatsu, staring at me. Morgana was also there, sitting on the table, staring at me as well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette... I just... wow..." Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah... that's a lot to take in..." Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to agree with Ryuji, that is a lot to take in..." Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know... but I couldn't do anything else... no matter what I said or did, Lila always seemed to win. I tried to reason with everybody, but they chose to only fill their ears with her lies. I didn't have any other options. I just needed a fresh start. My life was basically over in France, so I made it official." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can understand that, but faking your suicide?! Doesn't that seem... much?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know what you're thinking, but as I said, I had no other option. Lila had everyone wrapped around her finger other than my two friends, Kagami and Luka. Almost everyone believed Lila because she was so charismatic and convincing. And actions speak louder than words. Kagami and Luka told me after a week after I moved here that people actually woke up and looked into Lila. I'm just sad it took my "death" to make them realize that." I explained. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> After that, my two blonde friends and my cat-like friend stayed silent for some moments. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is... this the reason why you feel so inclined to protect us?" Morgana asked. I gave a small nod. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette..." Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't have to do that, we won't abandon you as your friends did back in Paris." She reassured me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah! You put your trust in us when you gave us these!" Ryuji said, gesturing to the Monkey Miraculous on his head (which looked like a yellow headband). </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We won't turn our backs on you!" He said with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, you guys... I'm so glad I met you." I said with a big smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But, now, we must get back to business!" I said, putting on my serious face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agreed! Now then..." Morgana started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What was Pollen going on about?" He asked. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another cliffhanger! I'm sorry! In any case... if you were wondering what Thrill of the Hunt is, it's this comic by an astounding artist on deviant art by the name of Ipku. It fallows Marinette and Adrien (seasons 1 and 2, time frame) as they try to figure out who is responsible for the recent murders in Paris. It's an original comic with some original characters by Ipku themself! I highly recommend reading the comic and giving Ipku some love, even though it's been like a year since they last posted any art. Anyway, here are the links to Ipku's deviant art: https://www.deviantart.com/ipku and the comic dub of Thrill of the Hunt: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4B5Hyhl2lHTkyjbNkH9PFcKcFtF_dLj5. Also, I am not affiliated with Ipku or the people who made the comic dub (I wish I was). I am just recommending their content to you, my readers.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 16: Planning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welp... Here goes nothing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Third-person pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> After talking things over in Marinette's apartment, The Phantom Thieves agreed that they had to do something. As Marinette put it: </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This situation is getting out of hand, fast." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Phantom Thieves were also worried about Yusuke. None of them liked how Yusuke said that he needed to submit something to Madarame. To them, that proved the abuse claim. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> And so, after some discussion, calming down Pollen, and Morgana being a simp (wait, what). The Phantom Thieves left Marinette's apartment, agreeing that the passageway in the Shibuya station will be the new hideout. Before he left, however, Akira was stopped by Marinette. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, Akira-kun..." She said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What is it?" Akira responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I just wanted to say... thank you..." Marinette said with her usual bright smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"For what?" Akira asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've helped me out in a lot of ways... you listened to my story and gave me the courage to tell it to the others. You are slightly unusual, but I'm glad I met you. You are a marvelous friend and a great black cat." Marinette said. Akira felt his cheeks go warm at the praise. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Speaking of which, how's Plagg adjusting to his life with you?" Marinette added. At her words, the Kwami in question flew out of Akira's bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's been okay... I get my cheese fix from the cheese-flavored chips this guy gives me. And the curry that the guy Akira lives with makes, Sojiro, I think, is pretty good. Akira sneaks me spoon-fulls of the stuff whenever he eats." Plagg said a smile on his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Never thought I'd see the day when you would eat something other than cheese..." Tiki commented from her place at the Kotatsu table where she was eating some cookies. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah... love ya too, sugar-cube!" Plagg said before diving back into Akira's bag. Tiki face-palmed and went back to her cookies. Marinette giggled at the Kwamis' antics, and Akira gave a small smile. He then bid farewell to his bluenette friend and walked out of the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> That later that evening, he got a call from Mishima about Nakanohara. He apparently wanted to share some information about a target with the Phantom Thieves. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>What perfect timing!</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Akira thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I was eating dinner with the Kwamis (minus the ones with my friends) when I suddenly got a notification on my phone. It was Ryuji on the group chat for the Phantom Thieves. I took a sip of some pleasant, green tea as I read the text. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~+~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I found out something insane about Madarame! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sounds like a student of his offed himself when he couldn't speak up about Madarame stealing his work. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~+~~ </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I spat out my drink as soon as I read Ryuji's text. Did I read that correctly? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~+~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>WAIT, WHAT?!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Is that true? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I could be...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone died, though. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one's talking about it... I bet it was covered up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I wonder if Kitagawa-kun has heard anything...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he has, he won't tell us. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You saw the way he acted when we were questioning him...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right... it would be great if he could help us out, though!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>isn't that asking for a bit too much? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In any case, let's meet up at the hideout tomorrow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right! It'll be our first time there!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It's the passageway at Shibuya station, right? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Got it! See you guys tomorrow! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~+~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> The next day, May 18'th, Wednesday, after school, we were on our way to the hideout when we ran into someone I thought we would never run into. It was Natsuhiko Nakanohara, the stalker whose heart we changed in Mementos. Apparently, he had reached out to the creator of the Phan-site and had arranged to meet Akira. He then proceeded to tell us more details about Madarame. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> He confirmed that a pupil of his did commit suicide because he couldn't bear to see his work under Madamrame's name. He told us that after that, he ran away from Madarame and tried to start a new, but failed. He then asked us to change Madarame's heart to save his remaining pupil, Yusuke. He told us that Yusuke feels like he has no choice but to stay with Madarame and that Yusuke would leave if he could. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nakanohara-san, I can't promise success. But what I can promise is that we will do everything we can to save Yusuke-kun and change Madarame's heart." I said with a polite bow. Nakanohara smiled at me and walked away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette! Why did you do that?" Morgana hissed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, I figured since we heard the evidence that confirmed our suspicions, and he personally requested us to change Madarame's heart. I thought we would change Madarame's heart without hesitation! Am I right?" I responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're right... sorry. You just surprised me with that promise." Morgana sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay!" I told my friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> So, after more discussion, we agreed by unanimous vote that we would steal Madarame's heart. At the new hideout, Akira said we would go to Madarame's Palace to see what we could do. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Simp-gana!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I knew it was a bad idea to touch the golden vase. I tried to warn the silly cat, and so did Joker. But, Mona stepped on a sensor, and luckily Joker and I moved out of the way before the lasers trapped our friends. I gotta say, Joker, is a good athlete! How was able to backward handstand flip (A/N: I don't know what it's called)? I just somersaulted away from the lasers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mona, I told you that was a bad idea!" I scolded the cat from outside the laser cage. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry! I couldn't help myself!" Mona replied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nevermind that! Just get us out of here!" Panther yelled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Will do! Come on, Princess! Let's find the control panels!" Joker said to me. I agreed, and together, with the use of the Cataclysm and Lucky Charm, we freed our friends and discovered a rare shadow that Joker managed to capture. He said it might be useful, and I wondered what he was talking about because the thing wasn't very combative. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Xuppu and Ryuji eating Ramen together!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> So, after more exploration, we discovered where the treasure is kept. Only problem: the security is impenetrable... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe I can Cataclysm it?" Joker suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That could work... but it might raise alarms..." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Perhaps, but I recognize this door!" Mona said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"hmm?" Panther said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There is no doubt about it! That is the same door I saw earlier! I think I know what door this one is based on in reality! There might be another way to open it! I'll explain later, come on!" Mona said. We then Hurried out of Madarame's palace and appeared outside of Madarame's house. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> There Morgana explained what he meant. Thanks to his scouting of the house last time we came, Morgana discovered an unusually large lock on a brightly colored door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So what you're saying is... that door is the real-world equivalent of the door in Madarame's palace?" I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed! We just need to change Madarame's cognition about the door so that it'll open!" Morgana confirmed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm still not gettin' it... is this gonna work?" Ryuji asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's worth a shot," Akira answered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But from what you said, the lock is really hefty. How would you unlock it?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's the easy part! Give me a hairpin, and I'll handle it!" Morgana responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But it'll take some time. Doing everything by myself in front of Madarame would be impossible. If only there was someone who could distract him for a while..." Morgana continued... I don't like where this is going... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh?" Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh... Ohhh!" Ryuji said, realization on his face. Yep! I don't like this! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Man, how are we even gonna get into his house? We'd get reported for sure if we forced our way in..." Ryuji said, a smirk on his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess the only way in is... havin' you go nude," Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, my God...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"WHAT?!" Ann exclaimed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fancy you say that, Ryuji. I was just thinking the same thing..." Morgana mused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hell no! Mari-san, is there a Miraculous that can help us out here?" Ann asked me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, there is the Fox Miraculous. It can create illusions. But, I don't know how we'd be able to use it..." I thought aloud. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There is a Miraculous that can create illusions?!" Morgana asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, yes... each Kwami can give specific powers to their holders. I happen to be lucky enough to possess some powerful Miraculous." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait... that implies that there are more Miraculous out there..." Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! There are." I said casually. The others looked shocked at that statement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes. There are some in America, and similar jewelry called the "Prodigious" in China. They are with trusted guardians and are used for good. Speaking of which, I need to contact them soon..." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aside from that, I don't think it is a good idea for us to use the Miraculous..." Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why not?" Ann asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't have anything against the Miraculous. It's just that if we rely on the Miraculous too much, we will lose some of our more useful abilities. We can't treat them as a crutch! I suggest we use them as a last resort!" Morgana proposed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know... I agree with Morgana! We can't abuse the Miraculous, no matter how easy a situation will be made with them." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"... fine... it'll be a pain in the a**, but I suppose it makes sense..." Ryuji groaned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I agree with Ryuji... If it is for the better, I can't argue." Ann sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's unanimous then..." Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> And so, we all agreed that the Miraculous will only be used for emergencies... looking back, that was the right decision. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 17: Fox, Unblinded at Last!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No words, just read...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Mari's pov)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> The next day, May 19'th, Thursday afternoon, we put our plan into motion. I assisted Ann with her preparations and made Pollen swear not to jump out at Yusuke at any time unless it was an emergency. The yellow Kwami then decided to keep an eye on Morgana to make sure he was doing his job and not being a peeping tom. Morgana was offended by this but agreed since Pollen will be able to assist him by alerting him about anyone coming. Finally, when everything was set up, we put our plan into motion. And, as per usual, things didn't go as planned... again...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Joker, Skull, and I made our way to the entrance to the treasure room. We stood in front of the massively secured door and waited. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ya think this'll work?" Skull asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What other choice do we have?" Joker said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, but..." Skull started. I placed my hand on his shoulder gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Skull, have faith. We know Mona and Ann can do this." I reassured my friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, you're right..." Skull said. In the month or so of me knowing my blonde male friend, I have learned a few things about him. He can get excited like a little kid (which is kind of cute). He also likes to act tough most of the time to hide his true feelings with mixed results. This is one of those times. I could tell he was worried about Ann, and I can't blame him. I'm concerned as well, but I have faith in her and Morgana. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(A few minutes later...)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They did it!" Skull said when the massive door opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you have any doubt?" I asked my friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's go!" Joker said. He led us through the door and into the room. Unfortunately, a guard was blocking our way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh no, a guard!" I whispered as all three of us hid behind a pillar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is gonna be hard with only three of us. Joker, we'll leave the planning to you." Skull said to our leader. I nodded in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright then, let's attack!" Joker said. And we did just that!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Another few minutes later...)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> After a few well-placed fire attacks and an all-out-attack, we defeated the shadow. We then turned off the security system, which was easy to do. Joker just pressed a few buttons, and the whole thing deactivated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh... That was easy..." I commented. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, the lasers in the courtyard are off for good! Aren't they?" Skull said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They are," Joker confirmed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mission complete! Let's get out of here!" Skull said. The three of us then rushed out of the room, but a security guard must have heard us. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! Who's there?!" A voice yelled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, crap! Guards!" Skull said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's our cue to leave then!" Joker said as we ran to the courtyard. When we arrived, we saw the laser emitter things retract into the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sweet! let's go meet with the others!" Skull said. We then arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We did it!" I said with a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah..." Skull said. I could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his worried face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Skull, I'm sure Ann and Morgana are fine," I told him. The second I said that, however, Ann's voice could be heard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Noooo!" She was yelling. Suddenly, a red portal open overhead, and Ann (in her Panther attire), Yusuke, and Mona fell out of it. Yusuke somehow managed to land on his feet and catch Panther at the same time. Mona then nailed him on the head, and he landed on his butt, dropping Panther as he did so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I got you!" I said, catching the falling (not) cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Owww... Thanks, Princess..." Mona moaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No problem!" I said, setting him down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you get off of me!?" Panther yelled, pushing Yusuke off of her. Yusuke then fell onto his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, no! I didn't mean to push you that hard! Are you okay? Wake up!" Panther said, shaking the poor boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pather, give the gut some space," I said to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right! Sorry!" Panther said, standing back. After a minute or two, Yusuke finally got up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Morning sleepy-head~," I said softly to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"W-who are you all?!" Yusuke asked in surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Calm down, Kitagawa-kun. It's me!" Panther said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"T-takamaki-san?" Yusuke asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then... you three are..." Yusuke started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't recall ever seeing this cat costume before, though..." He said, looking at Mona. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is this place?" Yusuke asked, looking around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, to put things simply, we are inside Madarame's heart," I told him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Inside... sensei's heart? Are you feeling alright?" Yusuke asked, getting up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She ain't lyin'. This is how that b***** truly feels. Madarame's nothin' but a greed-filled money-Gruber." Skull explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Enough of this rubbish!" Yusuke shouted. This guy...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yusuke-kun... with all due respect... the proof is all around you! You have lived with the guy for most of your life! Have you ever questioned his actions at least once?" I asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well..." Yusuke started, but I cut him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yusuke-kun, I can say from experience that people you thought you knew can hide their true colors very well. Believe it or not, you're inside a reality shaped by Madarame's distorted desires..." I said to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's right... this is Madarame's true nature..." Panther said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This repulsive world?" Yusuke asked, looking around. I had to agree with him... the amount of gold and bright colors could give me a seizure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just who are all of you?" Yusuke asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We are people who change the hearts of criminals hiding in plain sight," Joker said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If what you are saying is true, then the sensei I know doesn't exist..." Yusuke thought aloud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry you had to find out this way..." I said to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Still, he has kept me safe these past ten years. My gratitude for that won't just disappear." Yusuke continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're gonna forgive him?! At this rate, you'll-" Ryuji started, but Yusuke suddenly clutched at his stomach and fell to his knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" Panther said as she and I bent down to check on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me..." Yusuke said in a slightly pained voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There, there... I don't blame you. This is a lot to take in..." I said, patting his back gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, but we don't have time to dawdle!" Mona said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The security levels are through the roof! We need to get out of here at once!" He continued. Yusuke was panting, and I was anxious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We need to go! Can someone carry Yusuke?" Joker asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can!" I volunteered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think you can-" Yusuke started, but I cut him off by picking him up and throwing him over my shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How can you-" Yusuke started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is best not to question this," I said to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't drag his face on the ground..." Mona sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! It's not my fault that I'm short and he's tall!" I scolded the cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Put me down, it's alright..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, but if you feel sick, don't be afraid to ask for a lift," I said to him, putting him down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Princess's scary strength aside, we need to get out of here!" Mona said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We have a non-persona user too. Let's steer clear of any fighting, alright?" I added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> We made our way through the museum, Yusuke looking more and more unnerved. I couldn't help but sympathize with him. I remember sneaking through Kamoshida's palace and feeling appalled. The first time you go through a Palace is something a person can't forget. We were just about to reach the exit when guards suddenly appeared blocking the way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Sacrebleu</span>
  </em>
  <span>! The exit is right there!" I yelled. A distorted laugh came from behind us. We all turned around to find- OH MY GOD!! WHAT IS THAT HAIR CUT?!?! Shadow Madarame appeared with two guards at his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who is it? What the-" Panther said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Talk about Bulls*** clothes! First, a king, now some kind of Shogun!?" Skull said. I took out my sniper rifle just in case I needed to put a bullet through someone's head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Welcome to the museum of the master artist Madarame..." Shadow Madarame said with open arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh? Sensei... is that you? That attire..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Disgusting..." Panther said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And tacky,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. Seriously, no one needs to wear that much gold and facepaint. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This... This is all one big lie, isn't it?" Yusuke asked, desperation in his voice. Those words sound familiar... when Cat Noir found out his father and Natalie were Hawkmoth and Mayura. I remember the look of confusion on his face... his cries and yells... the days after when he gave up his Miraculous. Poor Yusuke, he has to go through that pain now... and I can't do anything to ease that pain... History loves to repeat itself, doesn't it? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"My usual ragged attire is nothing more but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home... under a mistress's name, of course." Shadow Madarame mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Some setup you've got..." Joker mockingly said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't make me laugh!" Shadow Madarame said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If the "Sayuri" was stolen, why was it in the storage room? And if you had the real one, why make copies!?" Yusuke asked. Wait... if what Yusuke is saying is true, then... don't tell me...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!" Shadow Madarame confirmed. Knew it... I can never escape these people, can I? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So... you lied about the painting being stolen, and made copies of it and sold them to make a profit? Am I correct?" I said to the shadow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Correct! You're one smart girl!" Shadow Madarame said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't flatter me, you greedy </span>
  <em>
    <span>salaud</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" I said, spitting at his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"People like you make me sick! You use people, lie to people, and abandon those who aren't useful to you. You don't deserve any of the fame or recognition you have!" I hissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What a shame... a girl like you could have gone far..." Shadow Madarame mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is that supposed to mean?!" Panther asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That dear, little girl could have made so much money if she could get the courage to do what I do~," Shadow Madarame said. I'm gonna puke...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You keep goin' on about money this, money that... no wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!" Skull yelled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Princess would never do what you do! She is above dirt like you!" Joker said. I blushed when he said that... that was so sweet of him. Not now, Marinette! You can fangirl about this when you get home! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're supposed to be an artist, right?! Aren't you ashamed of plagiarizing other people's work!?" Panther asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Art is nothing more than a tool... A tool to get money and fame!" Shadow Madarame said... I am so close to firing my sniper rifle at him and cutting off that palm-tree growing on his head! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You helped me greatly as well, Yusuke..." Shadow Madarame continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"God... P***es me off... That's your teacher..." Skull said. Yusuke was on the ground, holding his stomach. I wanted so badly to comfort him, to shield him. But, something was holding me back. I heard his pleas, and it hurt me. I saw his pain... why couldn't I do anything? As Shadow Madarame kept talking, I got angrier and angrier. I wanted to summon Joan and have her trample the disgusting shadow in front of me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mon chérie, I understand your rage but please calm down. You can release your rage later. For now, watch and listen.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Joan said in my mind. Joan never led me astray, so I followed her advice. It was a good thing I did too because what happened next was couldn't have helped us more! </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yusuke awakened his Persona!</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AAAAHHHH This took too long! Gomen no sai! I've been busy with other stuff and experimenting with other fandoms! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 18: Realizations and Decisions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Mari's pov:)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> We Managed to send the shadows (and Shadow Madarame) running, and we retreated to the entrance room to catch our breath. Yusuke sat on a couch, resting. He exerted quite a bit of strength fighting those shadows. I sat next to him, rubbing his back soothingly. Mona was on my other side, looking at Yusuke. Skull was casually leaning on the couch, and Panther and Joker were standing looking at Yusuke as well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've known for quite some time, haven't you?" Panther asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am no fool... strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair," Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But... who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?" He continued. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why didn't you leave?" I asked, rubbing his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, he was the one who painted the "Sayuri." On top of that, I owe him a massive debt..." He explained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You mean he raised ya?" Skull said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I... never knew my father. I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three. That's when sensei took me in. I heard he had helped my mother while she was still alive." Yusuke explained. As he continued to talk, I sat by his side, comforting him. By the time he finished and thanked us for showing him the truth, shadows suddenly appeared, and we had to leave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Dr. Bright's Chainsaw canon (a cookie to those who get the reference)!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> So, after we booked it out of the palace, we arrived at a cafe to continue to talk. There, Yusuke apologized for his behavior towards my friends and me. And, after some more talking, Yusuke joined us as a fellow Phantom Theif!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Also..." Yusuke added. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I noticed that you all had some unusual abilities, other than your personas. Care to enlighten me on what they are?" He asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We... will tell you later..." Ann told him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright then, let's start eating then... wait... I didn't bring any money..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay, I'll buy you something!" I said to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You are too kind, Mari-san." He said with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That kindness might be your downfall, Marinette," Morgana said from Akira's bag. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe..." I replied, not really paying attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Depends on who she's given' that kindness too," Ryuji put in. I didn't pay much attention to that conversation. But in the back of my mind, I wondered if my friends were right. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(The next day...) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What brings you to my office today, Cheng-san?" Dr. Maruki asked me as I sat down in the armchair opposite him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I just have a few things on my mind..." I said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well... If you're comfortable with sharing... mind telling me?" He asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, ever since I moved here, I've gone out of my way to be kind to everyone. But, I'm starting to think that maybe, that's not the best course of action..." I said to the counselor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What makes you say that?" Maruki asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm just scared that people will take advantage of my kindness and hurt me..." I confessed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why is that the first thing that comes to mind?" Maruki asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you remember the first time I came to you?" I responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, you were the first student to see me. You told me that you moved here because of some problems you had in France." Maruki said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah... well... I neglected to mention that one of those reasons... were bullies..." I said, pulling up my knees and hugging them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You had bullies? In France?" Mauki asked with a surprised expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know it's hard to believe that a thing as ugly as bullying exists in a place like France, but it's there. My life was Hell in that place. I try not to let the past affect me, but what if history repeats itself?" I confessed to the man in front of me. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Cheng-san, you can't be worried about what-ifs. You have to live your life to the fullest. You should let go of your past but never forget it. Focus on today, and tomorrow, trust me." Maruki told me. I smiled at him and got up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Merci</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Maruki. I needed to hear that. I'll see you later," I said, waving goodbye and walking to the exit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's my job!" Maruki responded happily. As I walked out, I wondered if I should ask for some advice on my situation with my cousin. Yes, I still haven't contacted her yet. I know, it's pathetic. I keep putting it off, and I don't know why. Maybe I could shoot her a text? I don't know! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I took out my phone as I walked down the school halls. It was the end of the day, so I could do that. I opened social media and opened Bridgette's profile. I scrolled through it, looking at all the pictures. You see, when my cousin and I were eight, her father (my mom's older brother) and her mother hit a rough patch in their marriage. So, Bridgette's father moved to France to live with my family and took Bridgette with him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> They stayed with us for a year or so, and during that year, Bridgette and I became very close. We shared a love for making clothes, and we hoped to create our own brand one day. We'd spent days designing, and we even learned to sew together. Those were some of the best memories of my childhood. But then, Bridgette's parents mended their relationship, and she had to move back to London. We used to text each other every once in a while to check up on each other. We would share images of designs and clothes we've made and told stories. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I miss those, I need to contact her. Maybe I could introduce her to my new friends here in Japan! I'll shoot her a text after we changed Madarame's heart! I thought this as I scrolled through my cousin's social media. A particular picture then caught my eye. It was a long pink dress with flowers on it (</span>
  <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&amp;ccid=7%2FxdOgFm&amp;id=C960D6F429A6104C2B9F1A98AC7A2CE1EF39BB45&amp;thid=OIP.7_xdOgFmYJ9xMTaEeLVmWQHaKv&amp;mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fdpegb9ebondhq.cloudfront.net%2Fproduct_photos%2F63684705%2Ffile_d23e738028_original.jpg&amp;exph=1740&amp;expw=1200&amp;q=Long+Dress+Pink+Flower&amp;simid=608047870696229384&amp;ck=1C854FAF0DDF3DECCDE67C3B79A4A8B1&amp;selectedindex=70&amp;form=IRPRST&amp;ajaxhist=0&amp;vt=0&amp;sim=11">
    <span>Link</span>
  </a>
  <span>). I looked at the description, and I stopped in my tracks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>This dress was supposed to be a gift to my cousin. I was going to give it to her when I'd visit this summer. Now... all I can do is let this dress collect dust in my sewing room. #I'msorry #Lost #F***suicide #F***bullying.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I stared at the post, reading again. Bridgette was planning on giving me that dress? It's so beautiful. I remember her telling me about a big project she was working on a few weeks before I left France. But I thought she was working on a commission or something. I'm sorry Bridgette, I swear, I'll see you soon! </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 19: Among Artists, Thieves, and Villians</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'M BACK LET'S DO THIS!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p><p> </p><p>Saturday, May 21'st, my fellow Phantom Thieves and I stood outside Madarame's palace. We were trying to decide on a code name for our newest member, Yusuke. </p><p> </p><p>"It has to be "kitsune." You know, with the kitsune mask and everything." Panther suggested. </p><p> </p><p>"Hell yeah. That really leaves an impression." Skull agreed. </p><p> </p><p>"What do you think?" I asked Yusuke. </p><p> </p><p>"Are you talking to me?" Yusuke responded. </p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, what do you want as your codename?" I asked. </p><p> </p><p>"How about... "Da Vinci"?" He suggested... Cue mental facepalm. </p><p> </p><p>"Nope!" Skull said. Yusuke looked sad. </p><p> </p><p>"You've got that weird mask and tail... How about Abura-age?" Skull suggested.</p><p> </p><p>... Skull... why? </p><p> </p><p>I heard Mona snicker and was about to call him out on it. </p><p> </p><p>"Very well," Yusuke said. </p><p> </p><p>Did... he just agree with that name? </p><p> </p><p>"He agreed to it?!" Mona said, voicing my thoughts somehow. </p><p> </p><p>"Erm... I don't think so... Joker! What do you suggest?" I asked, turning towards our leader. </p><p> </p><p>"Fox," He said simply. </p><p> </p><p>"Jury says..." I say, turning to my teammates. </p><p> </p><p>"Keepin' it simple? I have no complaints." Skull said. </p><p> </p><p>"Sounds cool." Panther said. </p><p> </p><p>"What do you say, Fox?" Mona asked. </p><p> </p><p>"It's acceptable..." Fox said. </p><p> </p><p>"Alright! Let's go!" I said. My fellow Phantom Thieves nodded, and we made our way to the palace. </p><p> </p><p>(Several puzzles, fights, vents, and paintings later...)</p><p> </p><p>Finally! We made it to the treasure room! This palace looked a lot smaller on the outside. Madarame must be really protective of his Treasure. Anyway, my fellow Phantom Thieves and I were on the metal ceiling beams just above the Treasure. The Treasure, as usual, was a glowing, golden blob hovering on a pedestal surrounded by bright red lasers. Shadow Madarame was standing just in front of the lasers. </p><p> </p><p>"There's the Treasure... but how to get it?" I whispered. </p><p> </p><p>"We can drop in and grab it, but how to get back up? And how do we make sure we won't be seen?" Panther asked. </p><p> </p><p>"The crane above us looks handy," Mona said, pointing above us. Sure enough, there was a rope with a hook attached. </p><p> </p><p>"Convenient..." I muttered. </p><p> </p><p>"I saw a lever that might be able to control the crane in a room back there." Mona continued, gesturing to the room behind us. </p><p> </p><p>We went to the room Mona gestured towards, and Joker pulled at the lever Mona mentioned. Sure enough, the lever controlled the crane above the Treasure. After making sure we didn't get caught, we started to put together a plan. </p><p> </p><p>Mona will be lowered down by the crane to grab the Treasure by Joker. Panther and Skull would turn off the lights from the control room to cover Mona. Finally, Fox and I would be on the lookout to make sure nothing goes wrong. It sounded like a solid plan! I wonder what will go wrong? </p><p> </p><p>(A few days later...) </p><p> </p><p>The calling card is sent, looking more fresh thanks to Yusuke's artistic talent. Now... to grab the Treasure! All was going according to plan. We were running through the courtyard when Mona got too excited. </p><p> </p><p>"I can't take it anymore! I need to see it!" He said, putting down the Treasure. The Treasure was a large rectangular object wrapped in purple cloth of some kind. </p><p> </p><p>"Make it quick! We need to get out of here!" I reminded him. Mona then unwrapped the thing. </p><p> </p><p>"Treasure!" He said triumphantly. <em> This is his Treasure?  </em>I thought, kneeling over it. </p><p> </p><p>"Huh?" Mona said, looking at the thing. </p><p> </p><p>"This is his Treasure?!" Skull said, shocked. <em> Is that a Lenny face?  </em>I thought. [( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]. Suddenly, black polls shot up from the ground. </p><p> </p><p>"Get back!" Fox yelled. We all jumped back as blue electricity emitting from the polls surrounded where we just were. </p><p> </p><p>"Medelsome vermin..." A distorted voice mused. I recognized that voice as Shadow Madarame's voice. Sure enough, the man was standing in front of the exit. In all of his gaudy, golden glory, two guards at his side. </p><p> </p><p>"Is this what you're looking for?" Shadow Madarame said, gesturing to the guard on his left. The guard had something under its arm, which was likely the real Treasure. </p><p> </p><p>"How dare you try and trap me like some kind of mouse!" Mona said, indignant. </p><p> </p><p>"You clever b*****, you switched them out! You set up a trap!" I said. </p><p> </p><p>"So, I did!" Shadow Madarame laughed. </p><p> </p><p>"And you fell for it almost perfectly!" He continued. Does this guy want to get sniped in the head?! </p><p> </p><p>"What made you change like this?! Is it because you became famous?! Can't you see how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father?!" Fox questioned with pain in his voice. </p><p> </p><p>Another pain in my chest... Oh, how those words sound so familiar... I want to ease Fox's suffering... yet I can't right now... My senses are telling me that a fight is brewing. </p><p> </p><p>Shadow Madarame then started to explain that the only reason he took in Fox was his connections to Fox's mother. He said that Fox's mother never lost her passion for painting, even after her husband's death. </p><p> </p><p>"Your mother and all the artwork she created-they're all MY works of art!" Shadow Madarame said with a crazed look in his eye. </p><p> </p><p>"How low can you sink?!" Panther asked, disgusted. <em> Is it possible to vomit and stab someone repeatedly at the same time? </em> I thought to myself. </p><p> </p><p>"I suppose I can grant you a gift before you die- a glimpse at the genuine 'Sayuri'!" Shadow Madarame said. </p><p> </p><p>"Genuine?" Fox said, confused. Madarame gestured at the guard holding the Treasure. The guard walked up and held it up. I gasped... it was so beautiful. Instead of a woman looking down at some clouds, it was a mother holding a newborn baby with a loving look on her face. </p><p> </p><p>"That's... the real 'Sayuri'?" Fox said, astonished. </p><p> </p><p>"This can't be! Mom!" Fox said an alarmed look on his face. </p><p> </p><p>"Huh?!" Skull said, turning his head towards Fox. </p><p> </p><p>Don't tell me... Please... Don't tell me! </p><p> </p><p>"Indeed, it is. This was painted by your mother. It's a portrait of herself. A woman who knew her death was coming painted her last wishes, for the son she would leave behind." Shadow Madarame explained. </p><p> </p><p>"That is the truth behind the mystery of the 'Sayuri's' expression!" Shadow Madarame said with triumph in his voice. </p><p> </p><p>I wanted to vomit and kill him at the same time...</p><p> </p><p>"You stole something THAT personal?!" Skull said. </p><p> </p><p>"Well-" Shadow Madarame started, but I cut him off. </p><p> </p><p>"You stole something of unfathomable worth... you tarnished it for what?! Fame? Fortune? Vanity?! You disgust me..." I said, venom dripping from my voice. I took a step towards him, my bangs casing a shadow over my eyes. </p><p> </p><p>"You have lied to people for your own gain. You have stolen and vandalized something that held more value than your own pathetic life. So tell me..." I said, saying the last part in a sickeningly sweet tone. </p><p> </p><p>"Tell me... you inhuman son of a b****... does it feel good? Did you experience pleasure robbing people of their happiness, hope, and future? Did you enjoy treating human beings like they are OBJECTS?!" I screamed, a raging fire in my eyes. </p><p> </p><p>I didn't know what came over me. It felt like I was staring at Lila. This time, however, I have power. I have friends to fight with. I looked back at them and noticed something. </p><p> </p><p>"Fox?" I said to my tall friend. </p><p> </p><p>"I've heard you destroy your "art" once they outlive their usefulness... Did that include my mother as well?" Fox asked Shadow Madarame. </p><p> </p><p>... No... he wouldn't... he didn't...</p><p> </p><p>"She just so happened to have a seizure in front of me. That's when a thought crossed my mind... If I don't call for help and leave her be, I could obtain her painting with no string attached!" Shadow Madarame mused. </p><p> </p><p>I let out a demonic screech and tried to launch myself at him. Keyword: <em> tried </em>. Joker hooked his arms under my armpits and lifted me off the ground a little. I was too angry to realize how close he was to me. </p><p> </p><p>"You let her die?!" Ann yelled over my cursing. </p><p> </p><p>"She was physically weak. No one would doubt if she just dropped dead because of a seizure." Shadow Madarame said. I fought and struggled more. Joker had to wrap his arms around my waist to get a better hold. </p><p> </p><p>Shadow Madarame kept prattling on and on. My urge to kill was rising by the second. </p><p> </p><p>"Thank you... Madarame..." Fox said. That made me stop and stare at him. </p><p> </p><p>"Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a trace at this very moment! You aren't some rotten artist... You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist!" Fox yelled. I gave him an encouraging nod and turned back to Shadow Madarame. </p><p> </p><p>"Prepare yourself, Madarame! You will pay for your crimes against all you have wronged!" I said, pointing at him. </p><p> </p><p>"You good-for-nothing brats! Coming into my museum and doing whatever the H*** you want... Those who have the right connections make the rules; those who don't follow them. Not to mention, the value of art is all subjective! I make the rules in the art world!" As Shadow Madarame spoke, his voice became more and more distorted. I recognized what was happen and braced myself. </p><p> </p><p>"I am the supreme being! I am the god of the art world!" Shadow Madarame proclaimed. Is every Palace ruler we face going to have a God complex of some sort?! </p><p> </p><p>"Uh, oh! Brace yourselves!" Mona warned us. Shadow Madarame started to laugh a hideous and distorted laugh. His body then began to misshapen itself. It made me sick just looking at it. I turned my head away from the sight, hiding my face in Joker's chest (Joker: Currently turning into a tomato). </p><p> </p><p>"I'll paint all over you!!" Shadow Madarame's voice shouted. I looked to see... what the H***? Did... did he turn his face into four separate paintings? I can't make this up. His eyes, nose, and mouth became giant floating paintings with the rest of his body nowhere to be seen! Too disgusting! I then noticed the position Joker and I were in. </p><p> </p><p>"Joker... you can let go of me now..." I mumbled. It felt like my face was on fire... Joker then let go of me and muttered an apology. </p><p> </p><p>"Now is not the time for flirting, you two!" Mona scolded. "We need to focus on fighting!" </p><p> </p><p>"We weren't flirting! Joan, Kouga!" I yelled at the cat, aiming an attack at Shadow Madarame's left eye. </p><p> </p><p>(Third person pov)</p><p> </p><p>The Phantom Thieves fought Shadow Madarame with tooth and nail. When they defeated all of the floating paintings, they melted to the floor, turning into a pool of ink. Shadow Madarame emerged from that ink, but he didn't look defeated. He looked tired but not defeated. </p><p> </p><p>"Madarame's out!" Mona said. </p><p> </p><p>"I'm the great artist, Madarame! If you brats can't fathom that... Then you'll witness it for yourselves! Behold my master craft!" Shadow Madarame shouted. Pools of ink appeared by him, and duplicates of himself suddenly crawled out of them. </p><p> </p><p>"What the-! Did he just clone himself?!" Princess asked. </p><p> </p><p>"Apparently so..." Joker said, aiming his pistol at one of them. </p><p> </p><p>"Creating duplicates is his specialty, after all!" Mona said, summoning Zoro. </p><p> </p><p>After more battling and Princess resisting the urge to go full Sans Undertale on Shadow Madarame, by chucking a bunch of sharp objects, she created using the Ladybug Miraculous at him. Madarame was FINALLY defeated. </p><p> </p><p>Princess watched as Shadow Madarame cowered at Fox's feet. If she wasn't so disgusted by him, she would have felt sorry. Then, Madarame said something interesting. </p><p> </p><p>"Wh-what about the other one, though? The one with the black mask?" He said. <em> Black mask? </em> Princess thought. </p><p> </p><p>"Who?" Joker asked. </p><p> </p><p>"A black mask? Wait, who's he talking about?" Panther asked, looking at the others with a confused expression. </p><p> </p><p>"There... was someone else in this Palace?" Princess asked. The ground started to rumble. </p><p> </p><p>"There's no time! Hurry!" Skull said. Mona then turned into the Mona-mobile. </p><p> </p><p>"Get on!" He called. They all did so, but Fox lagged behind to give Shadow Madarame some final words with the Treasure in his arms. When he was done, The Phantom Thieves drove out of Madarame's Museum of Vanity. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>MERRY CHRISTMAN EVERYONE I UPDATED!!!! To celebrate, I have an important announcement... I will now have a consistent update schedule! What a Christmas Miracle! Sorry, I've been gone for so long. I've been busy with life and exploring other fandoms (Might do a comic, I don't know). But yeah! I will update every Friday! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Let's hope 2021 isn't as bad as 2020!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 20: What Happened After</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Third person pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Marinette walked into her apartment, closed the door behind her, and fell to her knees. She was so tired. Her mind flashbacked to what happened after she and all her friends left Madarame's Palace. Yusuke was holding the painting as they stood outside of Madarame's house. They then left for the hideout. There, they had filled in Yusuke about the real goal of the Phantom Thieves. To get back at the rotten adults who wronged them and give the people hope. They also agreed to share the secret of their 'Miraculous' abilities with Yusuke after Madarame confessed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Marinette smiled at those memories and got up to make dinner for herself and the other Kwamis. She searched in her kitchen and decided to make Udon (A/N: Udon is super good, I highly recommend it!). She also made the usual snacks for the Kwamis and got to eating. After dinner, Marinette did her homework, showered, and got ready for bed. She curled up in bed, thinking about Akira. She internally fangirled at the memory of him holding her close as they fought Shadow Madarame. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>I have fallen hard... but this time... I will do it right.</span>
  </em>
  <span>' She thought as she slipped into unconsciousness. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where am I?</span>
  </em>
  <span>' I thought. All I saw was darkness. I couldn't move... I couldn't open my eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>Is this sleep paralysis?</span>
  </em>
  <span>' I thought. Just then, I heard a muffled voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He... Mar..." It said. The voice sounded feminine. It couldn't be Joan because the voice sounded like it belonged to someone around my age. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ca... he... us?" Another voice asked. A male voice this time. Again, it sounded like it was someone around my age. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I... thin... she... ca..." Another different voice. It was a bit deeper than the last one. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wha... we... do?" The feminine voice asked. Why can't I make out what they're saying? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"W... ait... til... ca... us..." The deep voice responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"H... ong?" The male voice asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mon... may... bu... pai..." The deep voice said. Slowly, the voices became fainter and fainter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I woke up in a cold sweat. I sat up and looked around, breathing heavily. I calmed down and eased my breathing. '</span>
  <em>
    <span>That dream... what was it about?</span>
  </em>
  <span>' I thought. I looked over to the clock on my nightstand. According to it, the time was five in the morning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette, are you okay?" Tikki said sleepily from a pillow on my bed. She must have been woken up by me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay, Tikki. I just had a weird dream." I told the Kwami. '</span>
  <em>
    <span>No use in going back to sleep... maybe I can work on some designs!</span>
  </em>
  <span>' I thought. I did just that, sketching out a leather jacket based on Skull's jacket in the Metaverse (with a few tweaks and personal touches). By the time I had drawn a design that I was happy with, it was around six in the morning. I wanted to call one of my friends, to tell them about my dream. But, I decided against it. I don't want to bother my friends this early in the morning about my weird and probably unimportant dreams. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Ann feeding Pollen some honey!) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> As I was walking to school, I noticed Akira walking nearby. When he looked towards me, I smiled and waved to him. I hope I wasn't blushing too much. I trotted over to him, and we began to chat a bit, ignoring the other students who were giving us strange looks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"By the way, Mari-san." Akira started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Want to hang out after school?" He asked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He wants to hang out after school? That's amazing! I- Oh, crap! I have a call with Kagami and Luka after school! Whyyyyy! ;-;</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry, I have a call with my friends back in France after school. Maybe this weekend?" I suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That sounds great! How about Saturday? Meet at your apartment?" Akira suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds like I plan! I can't wait!" I said with a bubbly smile. We continued to talk as we made our way to class. The students around us continued to stare at us and whisper behind their hands. I wanted to tell them off! I ached to tell them that Akira was a human being, not something to be gawked at like some zoo animal. But I knew why they did what they did. When a person becomes known for something, that is the only thing they are remembered for. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Third person pov) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> As the days went by, things began to settle down for the Phantom Thieves. With the occasional trip to Mementos, the Phantom Thieves went back to their typical daily lives. Now... How about that thing on Saturday with Marinette and Akira? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, you made these yourself?" Akira asked between bites of a chocolate chip cookie. The two were in Marinette's apartment, sitting side-by-side in Marinette's kotatsu. They were snaking on cookies Marinette made earlier that day. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes! My parents are bakers, after all!" Marinette responded, picking up a cookie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow! You really are a girl of many talents!" Akira said with a smile as he picked up another cookie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Akira-kun," Marinette said. There was a pause. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So... How are things with your cousin?" Akira asked. Marinette stiffened. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You did contact her... right?" Akira asked, eyeing his blue-eyed friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I... well... um..." Marinette stammered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You didn't so much as text her, did you?" Akira said, a neutral face of displeasure on his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nope..." Marinette squeaked with a small voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari-san..." Akira sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I've been busy, okay!" Marinette tried to defend herself. But, she knew she was failing miserably. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright. I know the whole thing with Yusuke and Madarame has you in a mood. But, still." Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know! I'm just... scared..." Marinette sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette Dupain-cheng. You have faced down literal demons. Tell you what, I'll be here right by your side when you call her." Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really? Thank you, Akira-kun! What did I do to deserve a friend like you!" Marinette said a bright smiled on her face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't mention it! Now, get out your phone." Akira instructed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait, we're doing this now?!" Marinette asked, a little freaked out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, the sooner you do this, the better you'll feel!" Akira said, a determined look on his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But, it's like early morning in London where Bridgette lives! I can't call her at three am!" Marinette said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can, and you will. Get your phone out. You'll thank me later." Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Marinette sighed, knowing that it is impossible to change Akira's mind on the matter. She got out her phone, and a few seconds later, Bridgette's contact information was on the screen. Marinette looked at her black-haired friend (/crush), Akira gave an encouraging nod to her. Marinette took a deep breath and tapped the call button. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ring</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ring </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ring </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hello?" Bridgette's tiered voice said out of Marinette's phone speaker. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yet another Cliffhanger! I'm so evil! Anyway, I'm thinking about doing a comic. I don't know if I should, though... so, I made a poll! The link is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgrEUF50K288D_T3GMXXt49MocCCbDqH_1oZRKR0tFGwAbEw/viewform?usp=sf_link. I hope you have enjoyed the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 21: Conversations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welp... here we go!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov) </p>
<p> I was terrified. What do I say?! "Hey Bridgette! It's me, Marinette! The cousin, who you thought committed suicide when I actually moved to Japan to start a new life!" I am not saying that. </p>
<p>"Is this a prank call? It's three in the f***ing morning. I am too tired for this!" Bridgette's annoyed voice said from my phone speaker. Akira then took my phone out of my hand. </p>
<p>"Sorry, is this Bridgette Cheng?" He asked in English with a slight accent. </p>
<p>"Yeah, this is Bridgette Cheng. Why are you calling me at three in the morning?" I heard Bridgette respond. </p>
<p>"Werr, (well) I have someone here who was meaning to talk to you," Akira responded. </p>
<p>"Alright, put them on..." Bridgette sighed. Akira handed the phone to me, and I took a deep breath. </p>
<p>"Hey... Bridgette... It's me... Marinette..." I said. There was a moment of painful silence. I worried that Bridgette would start to yell or hang up. Instead, Bridgette switched the call to facetime. I accepted, and for the first time in a while, I saw the face of my cousin. </p>
<p> She looked so tired, but not just because it's early morning for her. She looked like she hadn't got a decent night's sleep in ages. Her usual bright blue eyes that were so similar to mine were red and puffy and slightly dull. Her face was tear-stained and pale. Her long blueish hair looked like it hadn't been correctly taken care of for a while. I felt guilt build up in my chest. </p>
<p>"Marinette...? Is that really you...?" Bridgette asked weakly. </p>
<p>"Yeah, Bridgie. It's really me... I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner... I had a lot going on..." I started, but Bridgette cut me off. </p>
<p>"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!! WHERE THE H*** ARE YOU?!?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU PUT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY THROUGH?!? WE ALL THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!" Bridgette yelled. </p>
<p>"Woah! Calm down! I'll explain everything if you just calm down!" I said, putting up my hand. </p>
<p>"You better!" Bridgette said. I sighed and started to explain. </p>
<p> I told her the story of how I got to Japan. From how Kagami and Luka helped me to the plane ride to Japan. I left out the Kwamis and Miraculous because she doesn't need to know about that. By the time I was done, Bridgette was staring at me with a slightly open mouth. </p>
<p>"Mari... oh... Mari..." Bridgette Whispered. </p>
<p>"Bridgie... please don't hate me for this. I just wanted a better life," I said, my bangs covering my eyes. </p>
<p>"Why would I hate you?" Bridgette asked. I looked up at my phone where my cousin was looking at me. </p>
<p>"If you're genuinely happy in Japan, I won't stop you. I'm just angry that you didn't contact me sooner. I get you were facing h*** back in France, and you wanted to escape. I would never hate you for wanting better for yourself." She told me.</p>
<p>"Bridgette..." I whispered. </p>
<p>"By the way, who was that boy on the phone earlier? Was that your boyfriend?" Bridgette ask. I stiffened at that. </p>
<p>"Geez... gone for a month, and you already have a boyfriend?" Bridgette commented. </p>
<p>"Bridgette! It's n-not like that! Akira is just a good friend!" I responded. </p>
<p>"Sure... a good friend... can I at least see him?" Bridgette asked with a neutral expression. </p>
<p>"Sure! Akira-kun, say hi to my cousin!" I said to my black-haired friend, beckoning him over. </p>
<p>"H-herro (Hello) Bridgette, I'm Kurusu Akira." Akira introduced himself in English (Seriously, when did he get good at English? Gonna have to ask him later...). </p>
<p>"Nice to meet you, Akira! Thanks for looking out for my cousin for me while she's in Japan." Bridgette said. </p>
<p>"No probrem!" (Problem) Akira said. </p>
<p>"Have you made any new friends during your time in Japan?" Bridgette asked. </p>
<p>"Oh! I have!" I said. I then started to talk about Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke. Bridgette smiled while listening to me. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Akira was also looking at me. He was smiling at me. He looked... proud... and happy... and ... relieved? Why did he have that look on his face? When I was done, Bridgette nodded, looking like a massive weight was lifted off her shoulders. </p>
<p>"Marinette... I am so happy you're okay... and I'm even happier to know that you are happy and have a good life." Bridgette said her large and familiar smile on her face. </p>
<p>"Thanks! Oh! I hope your parents weren't awakened by us." I said, slightly worried. </p>
<p>"Oh! They're currently out on a business trip overnight!" Bridgette reassured me. </p>
<p>"Oh! Okay!" I said. </p>
<p>"Rather lucky they are, right?" Bridgette said. The three of us chuckled at her comment. </p>
<p>"Yeah... Bridgette, can I ask you something?" I asked. </p>
<p>"Anything!" Bridgette said. </p>
<p>"Don't tell anyone I'm in Japan or that I'm still alive," I said. </p>
<p>"What?! Why?!" Bridgette asked. </p>
<p>"I have a lot going on in my life in Japan. School, friends, homework, stuff like that! I'm not ready to deal with my problems in France yet. You understand, right?" I told Bridgette. </p>
<p>"I understand. And, besides, it'll be fun to watch those a**holes die of shame and guilt. I'll see if I can find a way to visit you!" Bridgette said. </p>
<p>"I'd like that! see ya, Bridgette!" I said, waving goodbye. </p>
<p>"See ya!" Bridgette said, also waving goodbye. I hung up and let out a sigh. </p>
<p>"Thank you, Akira..." I said, smiling at him. </p>
<p>"I told you that you would feel better if you did it sooner!" Akira said, smiling as well. </p>
<p>"Akira..." I said, looking him in his stormy grey eyes. </p>
<p>"Thank you so much... I don't think I could've done that on my own. I can finally put that guilt to rest. I am so glad I met you!" I said, giving him a big hug. Akira tensed for a moment, then returned the hug. The hug felt like a lifetime, but it only lasted a few minutes. I have to say... I fell hard for Akira Kurusu! </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AND WE ARE DONE FOR THAT PART OF MARINETTE'S PERSONAL ARC!!! But don't worry! We are barely halfway through her social link! Also, if you're out of any good anime to watch, here's a link to 'Welcome to demon school! Iruma-kun: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHrr7brbhvRxYO1chb183xci_r1rMJw9M, you'll thank me later!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 22: A New Fox</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is so rushed...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Third person pov) </p>
<p> In the days after the call with Bridgette, Marinette felt freer than she had in a long time. She smiled brighter and was almost always in an upbeat spirit. Her friends took noticed and asked about it. She and Akira explained what happened on that Saturday evening to their friends. They were all happy that Marinette managed to resolve that problem in her life. And in celebration, they decided to share the secret of the Miraculous with Yusuke. </p>
<p>(Marinette's pov)</p>
<p> I was nervous. I didn't know how Yusuke would react to the Kwamis. Would he yell? Would he be scared? But, it is only fair that we tell him. So, there we sat. The Miracle Box was on top of my kotatsu table. Yusuke sat on one side of the table while I sat on the opposite side. Akira sat next to me while Ryuji and Ann stood just behind us. </p>
<p>"So... you are finally going to tell me how you have extra powers in the Metaverse?" Yusuke asked. </p>
<p>"That is correct," Akira responded. </p>
<p>"Are you ready?" I asked. </p>
<p>"I'm curious... so yes, I am ready!" Yusuke said. </p>
<p>"Just... promise not to freak out too badly..." I said. I let out a sigh and knocked on the top of the Miracle Box three times. </p>
<p> Yusuke looked confused, then frightened as the Miracle Box started to vibrate. And just like that, fifteen small, colorful comets of light flew from the box and danced around the room. Yusuke looked around in wonder at the display. Akira, Ann, and Ryuji also looked around with awe in their eyes. I have to admit, the light show the Kwamis put on is something that never gets old. When the Kwamis settled down and returned to normal, they flew to me and floated around me. </p>
<p>"Yusuke Kitagawa, the beings that are all around me are called 'Kwamis' They are gods and zodiacs in the shape of animals that can give humans their powers. Akira, Ann, Ryuji, and I all have one in our care." I said, showing off my earrings. The others did the same, showing off their respective Miraculous. </p>
<p>"We use the Miraculous to assist with our Phantom Thievery, as you know. Since I am the guardian of the Miraculous, I have decided to give you a Miraculous." I said. Yusuke looked amazed and slightly confused. </p>
<p>"Are- are you saying that you trust me with something like this?" He asked. </p>
<p>"I am... it is my way of showing my trust to my fellow Phantom Thieves," I told him. </p>
<p>"So... do I just pick one?" Yusuke asked. </p>
<p>"Not exactly..." Ann said. </p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked. </p>
<p>"For the best result, the Kwamis choose whether or not to be your Kwami," I explained. </p>
<p>"So... they choose me..." Yusuke said. </p>
<p>"Yup!" Ryuji confirmed. </p>
<p>"This isn't gonna hurt Yusuke," I reassured him. He let out a breath and nodded, closing his eyes. I nodded to the Kwamis, and they did their thing. The fifteen kwamis who didn't have a holder zoomed to my tall friend sitting across from me. They circled him for a minute before all but one return to the Miracle Box. </p>
<p> Trixx was the one who remained, floating in front of Yusuke with a smile on their face. </p>
<p>"Yusuke Kitagawa... I think we'll get along nicely.~" Trixx said, pulling out their Miraculous and giving it to Yusuke. I nodded and smiled. </p>
<p>"Yusuke, my friend, my ally, my fellow Phantom Thief. You have been chosen to be the next holder of the Fox Miraculous. This Miraculous holds the power of illusions... use this power responsibly." I told him. </p>
<p>"The power of illusions..." Yusuke muttered. </p>
<p>"Come now..." I said, reaching into the Miracle Box. I pulled out the horse Miraculous. </p>
<p>"Let's go test how good you are~," I said with a smile. </p>
<p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Bridgette figuring out how to visit Marinette without looking suspicious!) </p>
<p> ... What was I expecting? Yusuke's hero outfit was... unusual... It somewhat resembled traditional Japanese male attire. Only, it had a hood with fox ears and nine tails flowing from the back. It was also white with orange accents and patterns. His mask looked somewhat similar to his Phantom Thief one. </p>
<p> Despite his... costume... Yusuke (who dubbed himself Kitsune-shi) was a natural with the Fox Miraculous. His illusions were so vivid and realistic. More realistic than any other made by past Foxs I had seen. They were extravagant (seriously, he made the island we traveled to look like a fever dream), so we agreed to let him keep the Miraculous. I have to say... I love my life in Japan! </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is late! I'm sorry! here are links to Kitsune's costume: https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Fox-Kitsune-Shi-Aka-Yusuke-Kitagawa-pt-1-867317788<br/>https://www.deviantart.com/justacreator/art/The-New-Fox-Kitsune-Shi-Aka-Yusuke-Kitagawa-pt-2-867317943</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 23: Different point of view</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's about time I did this!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Bridgette's pov) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> As I lay in bed, looking into my black phone screen, I could help but cry. It wasn't sad crying... it was happy crying. I was so relieved Marinette was alive. More than that, Mari looked genuinely well. She looked and sounded like she loved life again, something I had feared she lost. Her friends seem excellent. And that guy she was with, Akira, I think, stood by her side and supported her. She definitely has a crush on him, and who wouldn't? He looked like a snack... if I do say so myself~ But, I won't steal my cousin's guy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> I'm glad she got over Adrien... he was a spineless coward when it came to that Lila b****. Admittedly, I'm also losing interest in Felix. The guy is an a**hole, and I don't know what I saw in him, to begin with. I need to find a way to go to Japan to visit Mari... but how? It'll look suspicious if I suddenly leave for Japan for no reason. Wait... Maybe Luka and Kagami can help me! They were the ones who helped Mari get to Japan... I'm sure they would help me! I spent the rest of the early hours of the morning lying in bed, planning what to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> When my alarm rang for 6:30, I was awake and ready to go to Paris. I pulled out my phone and bought a ticket to the next Star Train ride to Paris. My parents will be gone for a while, so I have time (I also have my own bank account, with all the money I gained from commissions in it). The next train is to leave at noon, I have time! I remember having a conversation with Kagami and Luka after Mari's funeral... I think they gave me their phone numbers... Let's see... I scrolled through my phone's contacts, and there was Kagami's name! I pressed the call button and waited. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hello?" A familiar voice asked through my phone speakers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hi, is this Kagami Tsurugi? It's Bridgette Cheng." I said into the phone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes, this is Kagami. Do you need something, Bridgette?" Kagami asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well... umm... are you alone?" I asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The only person with me is Luka, and yes, we are alone," Kagami confirmed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Good... because..." I took a deep breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I know Mari is alive..." I said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"... She called you recently, hasn't she?" Kagami asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How did you know?" I asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I gave her your phone number..." Kagami said simply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't recall giving you my phone number..." I started. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I got it off of Adrien's phone," Kagami said nonchalantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How... you know what, never mind," I said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I booked a train ride to Paris later today... I want your help," I said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You want to find a way to visit Marinette, don't you?" Kagami asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course~" I responded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Very well, Luka and I will be waiting at the train station later today. When will you arrive?" Kagami asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Around 2:30 to 3:00, I'll see you there," I told her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Good, see you then," Kagami said, hanging up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> I put the phone down and grabbed a backpack. I packed some clothes, snacks, and a few other things I need. I looked over to my bedside table... a picture frame sat between my lamp and alarm clock. It was a picture of Marinette and me a few years ago. We were standing in front of the Eiffel tower, smiling and posing mirror-image of each other. I was thirteen, and Mari was twelve. It was my birthday that day... Mari's was in a few days too. My family almost always visited during our birthdays... it was like a tradition. Except for one a year or two back, mum got really sick, and we couldn't go to Paris. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Also, apparently uncle Tom's mom got 'Akumatized' during that day. I'm told that it was a mess... enough reminiscing! I need to head to the train station! I got changed into some jeans, combat boots, a pink t-shirt, and a black jacket. I styled my long, blueish hair into my signature low pigtails and picked up the backpack. As I left the room, I looked back at the picture on my bedside table. I softly smiled and turned off the lights. I can't wait to see that smile in person again...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Third-person pov)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Let's take a step back, shall we? Let's take a look at Paris, France, after we last left it...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> After Mari's funeral, there was an investigation at Collège Françoise Dupont. Caline Bustier and Mr. Damocles were fired for gaslighting and favoritism, a new principal and teacher swiftly took their place. Lila returned to Italy a few days after Bridgette had her meltdown at the school. The students at the school were never the same... they were shells of their former selves. They still functioned... but the light in their eyes was faded and dull, if there at all. They were grieving over what they had lost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Only a select few knew the truth... and to those very few, it was a burden. Namely, Marinette's parents... they called Mari every Sunday to check up on her. But, they must act sad so that no suspension is raised. Sometimes, it wasn't that difficult. Knowing that they will never greet their daughter good morning again is more than enough to put those frowns on their faces. The two parents only do their jobs and wait for the weekend so that they can see their daughter's smiling face again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Life in Paris is not the same anymore...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(A/N: Okay! Back to Japan!) </span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> June 5th, Sunday, daytime. I switched off the T.V showing Madarame's crying face. He finally confessed... about time... I then got a text. Time to go to the secret hideout! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Trixx helping Yusuke with his art!) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I listened to my friends as they talked about what was on the news. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I have to say... this is getting quite big..." I said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Right?! With this power, we can do more than change society! It'll be a big deal!" Ryuji said excitedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"This'll be fun..." Akira said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let's keep pushing on then!" Ryuji said. We continued to chat about Phantom Thief stuff until Yusuke spotted a couple of police officers. The officers walked up to us. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hello, may I speak with you for a moment?" The officer with the sunglasses asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah, yes! How can we help you?" Ann asked in a strained voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We need to work on your acting skills Ann...</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What are you all doing here? Are you friends?" The officer asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes, we are. Is there something wrong with a group of friends hanging out together?" I asked innocently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"There is nothing wrong with that, miss. Just disperse before it gets late, okay?" The officer said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"There have been some odd happenings lately..." He continued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We'll be careful, officer," I said. The two officers walked off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Way to handle that..." Ryuji said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I try~," I said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Moving on from Mari's performance, we need to be more careful from now on," Morgana said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We continued to talk... I was content with my friends... but... why is there always a looming sense of foreboding when we came to talk about the person in the black mask? </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Done! Hope you enjoyed it! I'm tired...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 24: We're on the Air!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Mari's pov) </p>
<p> June 9th, Thursday, daytime, I was touring a T.V station with my class. The woman who was leading the tour was explaining all about how the T.V business works. I was barely paying attention. I was standing next to Akira, wondering when this will end. Akira looked like he was dozing off a bit. </p>
<p>"He ain't even listening..." Ryuji whispered. I let out an amused sigh. A while later... the woman is still talking! </p>
<p>"Could this get any more obvious?" Ann muttered. </p>
<p>"How is this a social studies field trip again?" I asked quietly. </p>
<p>"So sleepy..." Akira whispered. Why did he look so cute when he said that? </p>
<p>"Agreed..." Ann yawned. </p>
<p>"Hey, how much longer does this go?" Morgana asked, peeking out of Akira's bag. </p>
<p>"I swear, I'm not gonna last..." Ryuji yawned. </p>
<p>"Just hold on..." I said to my blonde friend. Just then, a man shoved Akira out of the way and made his way to the woman who was talking. </p>
<p>"What's going on? I can't stand all this noise!" The man said. The utter nerve of that man! </p>
<p>"Hey, a**ho-" Ryuji started. </p>
<p>"My apologies! I'll have them leave right away!" The woman said. </p>
<p>"Now then, it's time for a bit of hands-on experience!" The woman continued. The crowd then dispersed, I sent a glare to the man who shoved Akira. </p>
<p>"Damnit... Who does that jerk think he is?" Ryuji said with frustration. I stood between Ann and Akira just then, I noticed a guy weirdly looking at Ann. </p>
<p>"Can I help you, sir?" I asked him. The guy then looked at me and nodded. </p>
<p>"Hey, do you two want to be on T.V?" He asked. </p>
<p>"You two have slammin' bods~," I'm uncomfortable with this...</p>
<p>"Umm... we're on a school trip..." Ann said. The guy looked like he was about to say something else, but he shut up when he saw my glare. </p>
<p>(Time skip! Brought to you by my new comic: S.C.P: Miraculous: Pandora's days!)</p>
<p>"I'm so... p***ed off! Aren't we supposed to be guests? Why the hell do we have to be doin' manual labor?!" Ryuji ranted. My friends and I were walking down a hallway after coming from the bathrooms. </p>
<p>"Calm down, Ryuji-kun. I don't know... enrichment?" I said. </p>
<p>"I feel like that grasping for straws..." Akira commented. </p>
<p>"Knew it..." I muttered. </p>
<p>"Quiet down, you guys!" Ann said walking, towards us. </p>
<p>"I get how you feel, though... it sucked for all of us..." She continued. </p>
<p>"Is that the right word for it?" I asked. </p>
<p>"Is there another word for it? If we have to do stuff like this tomorrow..." Ryuji started. </p>
<p>"If we do, no flaking out, Ryuji!" Morgana said, peaking out of Akira's bag. I nodded in agreement. </p>
<p>"I know, I know. I gotta be a "Good boy," Right?" Ryuji sighed. </p>
<p>"Being Phantom Thieves ain't easy..." He muttered. </p>
<p>"Be that as it may, remember, we go home from here today!" I reminded my friends. </p>
<p>"That's right! We don't spend that much time in this area, so why not relax and check out some shops beforehand?" Ann suggested. </p>
<p>"Oh, I know a place! I wanna go to that huge pancake looking place that we passed on the way here! It looked delicious! What was that?" Morgana said, looking very excited. I smiled at the antics of my small friend. </p>
<p>"Ohhh!... do you mean Dome Town?" Ryuji asked. He then explained how it's an amusement park and a baseball stadium. Ann chimed in about the hardcore rides. She, Ryuji, and Morgana then started to discuss the 'Puke rides' or something, but I felt something. A... presence? I tried to concentrate, but I couldn't pin it down.</p>
<p> Suddenly, a boy came around the corner. He looked around our age, wearing a uniform of some kind. He had longish brown hair and eyes that looked... red? Did he have irises that were naturally that color? Not that I'm one to talk about the odd coloring of body parts. </p>
<p>"Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your uniforms. Are you students of Shujin Academy?" He asked. </p>
<p>"We are... do you need something?" I responded. Why do I feel... faint? </p>
<p>"I happen to be passing by, so it would seem polite to greet you. We will be filming together, after all." He said, walking towards us. Why is my head hurting? It wasn't a bad pain, but it was there, on the edge of my senses. </p>
<p>"Ah, where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi." He introduced himself. </p>
<p>"Akechi?" Ann asked. </p>
<p>"Filming? What, are you a celebrity?" Ryuji asked. </p>
<p>"Only to the extent of appearing on T.V a couple of times," Akechi responded. There was a period of awkward silence. Akechi then pulled out his phone. </p>
<p>"My apologies, I truly was just passing by. I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend." Akechi said. </p>
<p>"So, you're going to have cake now? I missed lunch today, so I'm quite hungry myself..." He said. </p>
<p>... What?</p>
<p>My friends and I looked at him, confused. </p>
<p>"Huh? Cake? What're you talking about?" Ryuji asked. </p>
<p>"Oh, am I mistaken? I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes..." Akechi said. </p>
<p>"No matter. Welp, see you tomorrow." Akechi continued, bidding us goodbye. As soon as he left, my small headache went away. How strange... Why did that happen? </p>
<p>(Later that evening...)</p>
<p> As I ate my dinner, I thought about today's events. The tour of the T.V station was cool but, that thing with Akechi was... Strange... to say the least. It's bothering me so much... I think I should go to sleep... </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>To those who are curious about the comic I mentioned above, here's a link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28927455/chapters/70975578 I'm working hard on it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 25: T.V Talks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Friday, June 6'th, Afternoon inside the T.V station. My friends and I were sitting in the crowd of the T.V show. We were waiting for the show to start. Akechi then came on, and most of the girls around us started to fangirl. Once again, I feel something... odd... when I saw him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ain't that the guy from yesterday?" Ryuji whispered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Cutting back from commercial!" An A.D said. He then started to count down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And now, onto the "Hottest meet-and-greet" segment of our show. After the last appearance was so well received, we decided to bring back this fine gentleman. It's the high school detective: Goro Akechi!" The female host said. The girls around me started to cheer again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hello there," Akechi said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun. Your popularity is stunning." The male host said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Even I've found it to be quite a surprise. It is a bit embarrassing, though..." Akechi said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Moving along, we've been told there's a case on your mind right now. Care to share, detective?" The female host asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, yes. That would be the scandal involving the master artist, Madarame." Akechi responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There it is! All the Phantom Thief excitement has caught your attention as well, Akechi-kun! Allow me to be blunt for just a second. What do you think of these justice-oriented Phantom Thieves?" The male host asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist," Akechi said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh, so you don't deny the possibility that they're real?" The male host asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I may not seem like it, but I sometimes wish that Santa Claus actually existed. Although if he did, I'd have to arrest him for breaking and entering." Akechi commented. What he said did get me to lightly chuckle. The crowd around me laughed as well, but my friends were oddly silent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are real... I believe they should be tried in a court of law." Akechi said. That caught my attention, and my friends' attention too. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's quite a statement... are they committing any crimes? Some people say that the Thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways." The male host said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What the artist Madarame did was definitely an unforgivable crime. However, they are taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice. More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart." Akechi stated. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You have a point. These people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, after all. Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for days! You have the most radiant charisma!" The male host said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> After that, there was a poll on whether the Phantom Thieves exist or not. My friends and I obviously voted yes, but for some reason, the total votes say that 30% of the people in the crowd believed in them. I was kind of mad, but my friends and I have been doing this for about a few months, so what could we do? The female host then went into the crowd and walked up to Akira. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright, let's try asking this student here. Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real?" The female host asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>If only they knew that they were talking to the leader of the Phantom Thieves...</span>
  </em>
  <span>" I thought, a small smile on my face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They do more than the cops," Akira said, without skipping a beat. Everyone laughed, including Akechi and me. The male host and Akechi started to talk again. Akira and I made eye contact, and I gave him a smile, which he returned, making me blush. I could've sworn his cheeks turned a shade of pink as well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan's enormous workload I am somehow managing!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> My friends and I were talking about what Akechi said. Ryuji was annoyed, Ann was uncomfortable, and Morgana couldn't care less. I thought Akechi had a point. If the power we have was given to someone with less... noble morals... had the power my friends and I have... I don't want to think about it... I didn't realize Ryuji and Ann left till I snapped out of my thoughts. I then realized Akira snd I were alone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Calm down, Marinette. He is just your friend who happens to be reasonably attractive and cool. Not in the 'Dumb Blonde' way Adrien was... </span>
  </em>
  <span>(Shots fired)</span>
  <em>
    <span> but just... charming.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" I thought. Just then, I heard Akechi's voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, it's you!" I heard him say. And just like that, alarm bells rang in my head. Why do I feel like this whenever I'm around him? He walked over to us. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To quote Hegel... advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis." Akechi said. Akira looked confused at his comment, so I tried to translate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He said he thought your discussion back there was meaningful... I think..." I said. Akechi looked at me like he just noticed I was there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed I did! You're well-read, aren't you?" He said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I just happen to know some well-read people who love to ramble to me about that stuff," I said, remembering how the Kwamis and all the stories they told me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really? Well, few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as you did earlier." Akechi said, turning to Akira. They started to chat, and I was in the background, trying to figure out what was going on in my head. Why do I feel so on edge... so... warry? Why do I sense something so wrong? Why do I sense this... sick feeling? Was Akechi sick? But he seems okay! What is going on? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> When Akechi finally left, all the bad feelings he brought left as well. I relaxed... and Akira seemed to notice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari-san, is something wrong?" He asked, looking at me with worry. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"D-don't worry," Why did I stutter? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It was just a weird headache. It's gone now." I told him. He continued to look at me with worry. Ryuji then came, and we left the T.V studio. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's Done! Also, I am not joking about the workload I have. I'm doing a comic, I'm writing a bunch of stuff, and life stuff too! Free time is something I have, but I waste it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 26: Oh No, Makoto!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov)</p>
<p> It was Saturday, June sixteenth, lunchtime at Shujin Academy. I stood next to Akira as Ryuji rambled angrily about Akechi. He was being a bit too loud. Ann then came up behind him, holding a cup of chips, and smacked him. </p>
<p>"Ow!" Ryuji exclaimed. </p>
<p>"You're being way too loud!" Ann said, mouth full of chips. </p>
<p>"Who cares? Everybody's talkin' about this stuff anyway!" Ryuji said. </p>
<p>"But not like that, Ryuji-kun," I said. There was silence for a moment, then Ryuji started to bug Ann for some of her snacks. I just sighed... there can never be true peace, can there? Morgana scolded the two about being too laid back. He said that the police will get involved soon. </p>
<p>"So you think it's true? We'll be okay if we keep doing this... right?" Ann asked. </p>
<p>"Ann-chan, if we don't do this, who will? We just have to be careful... the power to change hearts is something we have been gifted with... let's use it for good..." I told her. </p>
<p>"Yeah! And besides... we can't let the cops scare us outta bein' Phantom Thieves!" Ryuji said. </p>
<p>"But, what about that weird guy from Madarame's Palace? Isn't there a lot we don't know?" Ann asked. I was about to answer her when the flash of a camera interrupted us. We turned to the source to find none other than Miss student council president herself taking a photo. </p>
<p>"The h***?" Ryuji said. </p>
<p>"You four seemed to be having so much fun. I'm a little jealous." Makoto said. </p>
<p>"Do you want to question us again? Makoto-senpai, we don't know anything." I said, praying to whatever God above that she wasn't eavesdropping. </p>
<p>"Why do you think I'm here to question you? Could it be you're hiding something? My ears are always open to the troubles of my peers, you know." Makoto chided. </p>
<p>Oh ho! That is rich! </p>
<p>"The past begs to differ, doesn't it, Ann-chan?~" I asked my friend. My comment caught Makoto off guard. </p>
<p>"Don't remind me, Mari-san..." Ann said. She then turned to Makoto. </p>
<p>"You are that desperate for a letter of recommendation? Who am I kidding? Of course, you are..." Ann said. Makoto looked like she was about to say something, but I cut her off. </p>
<p>"Is that what you want? Mon Dieu, Makoto-senpai, you are the student council president! I'm more than certain you can get into a good college without doing the school's dirty work!" I told her. </p>
<p>"Ch-Cheng-san, I'm flattered by your faith in me, but it's my job as the student council president-" She started, but Ann cut her off. </p>
<p>"You ARE the student council president! You would have known about Kamoshida, right?" She asked</p>
<p>"O-of course not! He was a good teacher until..." Makoto started again, but Ann cut her off once again. </p>
<p>"Oh, you take the teacher's side. That's what a good council president does, right?" Ann asked sarcastically. </p>
<p>"Then... how about you? What did you do for your friend?" Makoto asked. Okay... that was low! </p>
<p>"Makoto-senpai!" I said, getting between her and Ann. </p>
<p>"It was a complicated situation! She was a victim as well... what could she do?" I asked. Makoto looked surprised at my action but tried to collect herself. </p>
<p>"There is no need to shout..." Makoto said. </p>
<p>"If those Phantom Thieves are out there helping people... I'd root for them, no questions asked. They've gotta be more dependable than... some people I know..." Ryuji commented. I internally chuckled at his comment. </p>
<p>"... Just make sure you show up to your classes, all right?" She sighed, looking defeated and tired. I felt sorry for her... she walked away. </p>
<p>"You know what I said earlier? I take it back! I would be ashamed if we stopped now!" Ann said. </p>
<p>"H*** yeah! It's about time we find our next target too!" Ryuji cheered. I nodded along with my friends. </p>
<p>"I'm gonna go check on Makoto-senpai," I said, turning to leave. </p>
<p>"Seriously?" Ryuji asked. </p>
<p>"I want to see if she's okay..." I said. </p>
<p>"Mari-san... you're too kind for your own good..." Akira sighed. I just smiled at my friends and trotted away to find Makoto. </p>
<p> I found her a few minutes later, standing in the halls, mumbling something. I walked up to her. </p>
<p>"Hey, Makoto-senpai?" I asked, tapping her shoulder. She whipped around in surprise and looked a little displeased to find me. </p>
<p>"Do you need something, Cheng-san?" She asked with strain in her voice. I just sighed. </p>
<p>"look, I don't know what's happening in your life, and I won't pretend to. But, just know that you are your own person. You are the only thing in life you can control. Don't let others get you down... I know you're stronger than that!" I told her, trying to be encouraging. </p>
<p>"You really mean that?" Makoto asked desperation and surprise in her voice. </p>
<p>"I can speak from experience... I have faith in you..." I told her. </p>
<p>"... Thank you, Cheng-san... that means a lot..." She said. </p>
<p>"No problem! I like to help!" I told her. I waved goodbye to her, and she did the same. I then trotted off to find my friends. I wonder who our next target will be? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I did it! It is short, but here it is!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 27: At LeBlanc</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After school, my friends and I met up outside the subway station. For some reason, Yusuke had some luggage with him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Comments are coming in at an alarming rate. However, negative ones seem to be more prominent..." Yusuke said. I sighed at that. It was true... haters seem to be everywhere on the site. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'A criminal group with unknown goals that does whatever it wants in the name of justice,' huh..." Yusuke read. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't let it get to you... they are just parroting what Akechi said on T.V..." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, figured... T.V has crazy sway over people..." Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's free to deny our actions, but being cursed by his influence is something else entirely..." Yusuke continued.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just when we were getting people to believe in us too..." Ann said. Another sigh left me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you ask me, we are going to have to ignore the people who spew the negative criticism. We know we're doing the right thing. Let's not focus on the hate, okay?" I told my friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari-san is right. We just gotta take down another hot-shot!" Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"... Well, do you have any ideas who this hot-shot might be?" Yusuke asked. Ryuji responded in the negative. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sure we can find something. There are tons of corrupt politicians and businessmen who need a change of heart." I said. I looked at Akira, remembering the story of his probation he told me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Anyway, Yusuke-kun, why do you have luggage with you?" I asked my tall friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I decided to leave the school dorms. They were not only filthy but too noisy as well... no true art could come from such a place." Yusuke explained. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really? Where are you gonna go?" I asked, concerned for my friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, you can't go back to that shack, can you?" Ryuji asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I was hoping to stay at Takamaki-san's- I mean, Ann's house," Yusuke said. An angry buzzing was heard from Ann's bag as soon as he said that. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Erm... I don't think that is a good idea... considering Pollen's 'Opinion' on you, Yusuke-kun..." I said. Yes... Pollen never let go of her small grudge against Yusuke. She is always wary of him ever since the Madarame incident. Trixx then popped their head out of Yusuke's luggage. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you it was a bad idea, Yusuke." Trixx sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Impossible..." Yusuke said dramatically. I sighed at my friends' antics. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yusuke-kun, you can stay at my place. I have room for-" I started, but Akira cut me off. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yusuke will stay with me. I think it would be better if he stays with another boy." He said. What was that expression on his face? Was that... jealousy? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't you live in a cafe? Will you have enough room?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's dirty, but he'll have somewhere to sleep," Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are we gonna have another roommate?" Plagg said, poking his head out of Akira's jacket. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It appears so..." Akira answered, pushing Plagg back into his jacket. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's in Yogen, right? It's not that far..." Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's only a minute away from the train station, as a matter of fact!" Morgana said proudly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, let's go right now!" I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Time skip! Brought to you by Author-chan not knowing what she's doing!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah! So bitter! Blech! This has gotta be cruel and unusual punishment!" Ryuji spluttered after taking a sip of black coffee. I giggled at that. We were at the café called; LeBlanc. The same café Akira was staying at. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> I looked down at my coffee... it was black and bitter (according to Ryuji). I reached over and grabbed some cream and sugar... I poured some in and took a sip... it was tasty. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How can you drink that?!" Ryuji asked me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I put in some cream and sugar!" I said, sliding some over to him. We continued to talk and chat with each other. Eventually, we went to see Akira's room. Somehow, the conversation went back to the Fansite. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Even those who previously believed in us have been influenced by the comments made on T.V..." Yusuke said, looking at his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's all that effin' Akechi's fault!" Ryuji raged. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ryuji-kun, calm down. Like I said earlier, we have to ignore the hate and focus on our job..." I told him from my seat next to Ann. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agreed, but we need to make our rightfulness to society. Akira, do you have any idea?" Morgana asked him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"News surfing?" He suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There are options..." I muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But those from the news are already being pursued... if we make them confess their crimes... the police would take the credit. That won't do..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, dear..." I sighed. We continued to talk, then Yusuke's stomach started to growl. Apparently, he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mon Dieu! Yusuke-kun, why didn't you say anything!?" I asked, jumping to my feet, exasperated. This guy does not know how to conserve money for food! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know what? Drop everything! We are making food for the entire group right now!" I declared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What? Right now?" Yusuke asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes! I won't have my friends go hungry because they can't make decent money!" I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How about a hot-pot?" Ann suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm... What do you think, Akira?" Morgana asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll finish it with udon!" Akira said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No back-talk, mister! You have no money for food, and we want to eat!" I told him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah! We'll go buy some ingredients." Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Great! Here, let me get some-" I started, reaching into my purse to grab some money. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There won't be any need for that, Mari-chan. We'll split the cost later, okay?" Ann said, putting a hand over my purse. I sighed but agreed. She, Ryuji, and Yusuke went out to get ingredients while Akira and I searched for a pot and some utensils. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Akira was searching the back, I started a conversation with Sojiro, the guy who owned LeBlanc. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, you took Akira-kun in?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right. I'm an old friend of his parents." Sojiro responded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm... did you have apprehensions when taking him in?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The kid has a criminal record, but he isn't that bad..." Sojiro said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>If only you knew the truth...</span>
  </em>
  <span>" I thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What about you? What drew you to the kid?" Sojiro asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I kept hearing rumors about him. After some bad experiences, I decided to see if those rumors were true. So, I started to talk to him. I like to think that there is good in everyone, deep down..." I answered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I see... you're a kind girl..." Sojiro commented. I smiled at that. Akira then came out of the back, holding a large ceramic pot. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awesome! That'll work, right?" I said. I hope he didn't hear what I said. I felt so happy, but... why do I feel like there is something I'm missing?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter: completed! I hope you enjoyed this (especially wholesome Marinette)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 28: A Talk with Friends...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry I've been gone so long!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't eat another bite..." Ryuji moaned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> My friends and I were sitting around the rickety table in Akira's room, the hot-pot, semi-empty bottles of soda, chopsticks, and other waste, littering the table. Ann sat on the couch across from Akira and me. Morgana lay on my lap, purring slightly. Ryuji sat on an armchair next to me, and across from him was Yusuke. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That was delicious, you two!" Morgana said to Ann and me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You two would make excellent brides-" Morgana started, but Ann cut him off with a yawn and laid down on the sofa she was sitting on, taking a small nap. I giggled at my friend. Out of the corner of my eyes, though, I saw Ryuji and Akira turn a shade of light pink. Morgana suddenly hopped out of my lap and onto the table... and Ryuji started to lean to the side, towards Ann's... OH MY GOD!!! I smacked both of them up-side the head when I realized where they were looking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> We then started to chat. Ryuji told us how he knew Ann. Apparently, they went to middle school together. Yusuke then asked about our pasts. Ryuji said that his dad left when he was a kid and that ever since then, it was him and his mom. He said he tried to get a track scholarship to make things easy for his mom, but then... Kamoshida happened... and that dream died...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm so sorry, Ryuji-kun," I said to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry about it, Mari-san... and besides... you two have your own experiences..." Ryuji said. Akira and I looked at each other and nodded solemnly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're pasts?" Yusuke asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know... we never heard Akira's past in full details... and Yusuke never heard about Mari-san's past in more detail either... care to share you two?" Morgana asked. Akira went first, telling the story about how he defended a woman from a drunk man. Then finding out that the drunk man was a political figure and got sued. Landing poor Akira here... listening to it made me mad all over again... if I ever meet that man...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> It was then my turn to tell my story. I told my friends about Lila, the bullying, and everything else, up to the fake suicide. Unconsciously, I reached for Akira's hand and squeezed it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So... that's what happened..." Yusuke muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"God d**m it!" Ryuji yelled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You two got your reputations ruined because a couple of a**holes didn't like you guys!" He continued. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And the adults in power did nothing to help..." Yusuke added. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Those types of people are precisely those whose hearts we need to steal! Who are they, and where do we find them?!" Morgana asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"According to my friends back in France, Lila got served justice after my 'suicide'... And the principal and teacher who allowed the bullying to continue got sacked and replaced. So, I doubt we can do anything. Plus, all of that is in Europe, the other side of the globe." I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In my case... it was dark, and I was in shock after everything..." Akira said, squeezing my hand. At that point, I realized we were holding hands. I let go of his hand and stared at my hands in my lap. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I see... Akira, it was dark, and you were in shock about being arrested... and Mari-san, you already got your justice, but you weren't there to see it..." Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In Akira's case, the victim's information is always kept secret. Finding the man who did it will prove difficult. And even if we got revenge, Akira's past won't go away..." Yusuke said solemnly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This world is so messed up!" Ryuji raged. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The weak are left to fight for themselves, while rotten adults get away with whatever they want!" He continued. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And those in power don't do anything to help the situation..." Morgana added. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's why we exist, the Phantom Thieves!" I commented. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We are supposed to give the weak hope and fix society! Right?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Can we fix it, though? Nobody would notice..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"People would notice! They would see their leaders doing good and those higher up helping those at the bottom! They would live without fear of injustice! I know there is no such thing as a 'perfect society'... but there is always room for improvement! The Phantom Thieves will start that improvement... and hopefully inspire others to do the same! What good are our powers if we don't use them for good?" I said, standing up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari-san is right! We have to make a change! And our powers are perfect tools to perform that change! Let's aim for the stars!" Ryuji said, obviously hyped up by my little speech. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sound good to me! The flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking!" Morgana chimed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've all taught me so much..." Yusuke sighed. I smiled at that and sat down. Morgana then sat on my lap, and I started to pet him. Ann then sat up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What are you all excited about?" She asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Did we wake you up? ごめんなさい!" I apologized (Translation: sorry!).</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's alright... I was already up, to begin with... By the way, Mari-san, your Japanese is getting good!" Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, Ann-chan! I have been living here for a few months now!" I said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"By the way, this weird feeling came over me while I was listening to you guys..." Ann continued. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A weird feeling? Do you want to elaborate?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, I've only known some of you guys for a short time, but it felt like I've known you guys for most of my life!" Ann said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So it wasn't just me who felt like that! Good to know!" I said. Everyone laughed at my remark. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe it's because of our similar problems..." Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Similar, huh... I'm the only odd one out..." Morgana said, looking a little sad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Morgana... Don't say that! You belong here like the rest of us!" I told the cat, picking him up and holding him like baby Simba from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lion King</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari-san is right! You are the one who showed us how to be Phantom Thieves, to begin with!" Ryuji said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But, I don't have a past to look back on... I have no memories..." Morgana sighed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Morgana, that's the whole reason why we're exploring Mementos is to restore your memories... did you forget?" Akira said to the cat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That feeling of knowing extends to you too, Morgana." Ann put in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, you guys..." Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette, could you put me down now?" He asked me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah! Okay, Morgana!" I said, lowering him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But not without a hug!" I said, pulling the cat into a big bear-hug. My friends laughed as Morgana yowled and struggled against my hold. I took it all in... being surrounded by people I love, smiling and laughing along with them. I felt so warm and happy... I never want this feeling to end! But... life finds a way... to ruin everything...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Special Announcement!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Author-chan, you wanted to see us?" Marinette asked. </p>
<p>"Yes... I have something I want you guys to do..." Author-chan responded. </p>
<p>"What is it?" Ann asked. </p>
<p>"Yeah, what do ya need?" Ryuji asked. </p>
<p>"We are already doing this fic for you... what else do you need?" Yusuke said. </p>
<p>"Well?" Akira asked. </p>
<p>"I'm... doing a Q n' A for you guys!" Author-chan responded. *insert fanfare here*</p>
<p>"A... Q n' A? Why?" Marinette asked. </p>
<p>"Since this fic was on hiatus for two weeks, I decided to do something special!" Author-chan responded.</p>
<p>"Well... I suppose it couldn't hurt..." Akira said. </p>
<p>"Great! I'll make the announcement with the next chapter!" Author-chan said. </p>
<p>(Yup! I am doing a Q and A! Feel free to ask any questions of the characters in the comments!)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 29: Found out! Oh, No!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Marinette's pov)</p><p>I chuckled at the picture Ann sent on the group chat. In the photo, Ryuji was laughing at Akira. Akira's glasses were fogged up from the pot of steaming stew below him. Yusuke was serving himself some more food while I was by Akira's side, offering a handkerchief to clean his glasses with. The photo perfectly exhibited my friends' personalities. I'm going to have to print it out! I printed out the other picture, after all. </p><p>I looked over at the photo on my bedside table. It was a selfie Ryuji took during our trip to the expensive restaurant after Kamoshida's change of heart. Ann and I were eating cake in the background, Akira was sipping some coffee, and Morgana was eyeing some large pancakes. The picture was in a nice frame I had ordered online. I had accidentally bought multiple frames instead of one... now I have too many picture frames. Oh well~ at least I can frame this new picture!</p><p>I set a reminder to go print it at school later and started to get ready for bed. As I changed into a comfortable nightgown, my phone rang. I checked the caller I.D, it was Akira. I quickly answered the phone. </p><p>"Akira-kun! Hi! What's up?" I asked, slightly startled. </p><p>"Hey, Mari-san. I just wanted to check in with you..." He said. </p><p>"Really?" I asked. </p><p>"Yeah..." He said. </p><p>"Erm... how do you feel with Yusuke-kun living with you?" I asked. </p><p>"He's tolerable... but it's nice to have some company other than Morgana and Plagg." He said. I let out a little giggle at that. </p><p>"Speaking of which, how is Plagg?" I ask. </p><p>"He's doing good. Apparently, he likes to explore LeBlanc when he's bored and when Morgana and I are busy. He tells me about what he finds... he actually found a weird device last week. I have no idea how that got here or why it's here!" Akira told me. </p><p>"Maybe Misour Sojiro put it there?" I suggested. </p><p>"Maybe... but it's apparently harmless so, I don't care!" Akira quipped. I let out another laugh. </p><p>"Well, it was nice to talk to you, Akira-kun! おやすみ!" I said (Translation: Good night!). </p><p>"おやすみ, Mari-san!" Akira said. I then hung up and crawled under the covers. As I snuggled into the blankets, I vaguely wondered about what the future had in store for my friends and me. I smile, thinking about the adventures we had already. I have only been in Japan for a few months, and I've already made memories to last a lifetime. I fall asleep, thinking about the happy memories I have made so far. </p><p>(Time skip! Brought to you by Persona 5 Strikers! I want that game so badly!)</p><p>Monday, June 13th, after school at the Shibuya subway hall. Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, and I were waiting for Akira to arrive. </p><p>"Why is he late?" Ann wondered. </p><p>"The teacher said Makoto-senpai needed him for something..." I said. </p><p>"What does she want with Akira?" Ryuji wondered. </p><p>A few minutes later, Yusuke noticed something. </p><p>"Oh..." He said. </p><p>"Hmm? He here?" Ryuji asked, looking up at Yusuke. At that, I looked around to see if I could find Akira. Sure enough, I saw him walking towards us with... </p><p>"Is that girl a friend of yours?" Yusuke asked, gesturing to Akira and Makoto. Ryuji and Ann looked up and were surprised to see Makoto walking with Akira. I was also surprised... what is she doing here? </p><p>"Wh-what the h***?!" Ryuji exclaimed. </p><p>"What is the meaning of this?" Ann asked. </p><p>"I had him lead me here," Makoto said. </p><p>"Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Marinette Cheng... And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame?" Makoto listed... I don't like where this is going...</p><p>"I wanted to ask you about this..." Makoto said, holding up her phone and pressing play on a recording button. As soon as she pushed that button, Ryuji's voice was heard yelling about being a Phantom Thief. I felt my face pale. </p><p>When the recording was finished, Makoto put her phone away. </p><p>"An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame... While those affected by their acts were coincidentally meeting up. How could that not raise suspicion?" Makoto asked. My friends and I looked at each other. </p><p>"What do you intend to do?" Yusuke asked. </p><p>"Did you come to us just to say you're going to report us to the police? Makoto-senpai, what could you possibly gain from that?" I asked. </p><p>"I bet someone told you to find us. The school can't have ties to criminals, after all." Ann said in a mocking tone. </p><p>"And yet they turn a blind eye to suicide and s*xual harassment!" Ann continued. Wow, she loves to bring that point up to Makoto a lot... she has a point, though...</p><p>"Easy Ann... But, you have a point." I tell my blonde female friend. I then turn to Makoto. </p><p>"The adults of the school are just using you. I've experienced something similar back in Paris. I feel sorry for you, Makoto-senpai..." I said. </p><p>"W-what?" Makoto asked. </p><p>"Oh, yeah! Mari-san here was abandoned by the adults of her school back in Paris! She was bullied to no end there, and the adults did jack to help her! It was one of the reasons why she came to Japan, to begin with!" Ann said. </p><p>"I... I had no idea... but... you're right..." Makoto said. Everyone did a double-take. </p><p>"Huh?" Ann said. </p><p>"That's why I want to verify your justice! I'm the only one who knows about you. If you prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this." Makoto offered. </p><p>"She wants to make a deal..." Morgana said from Akira's bag. </p><p>"There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change," Makoto said. </p><p>"Who?" Yusuke asked. </p><p>"So you're saying it's not impossible. However... I can not tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talk after school tomorrow, on the roof." Makoto said. </p><p>"Assuming you accept my offer, that is." She added before walking off. </p><p>"This is turning into a real pain..." Ryuji sighed after Makoto left. I was so scared. What do we do?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Triple upload! I'm so tired!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. QnA Answers!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Alright! Let's start! </b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>The first few questions are from BeeTeeDubya14 of Ao3!</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear Marinette: If there is anyone back home whose heart you could change, who would it be?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette: Well… I’ve met a lot of people in Paris who would need a change of heart… but, I guess my pick would be Chloe. She did light up when I was being bullied by Lila, but she never stood up for me. She could do with a change of heart. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear Akira: What's your relationship with your parents?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: My parents… well, it’s complicated. They are good people… I know they love me… but, after my ‘lash-out’ my relationship with them became strained. I don’t know if they believe my side of the story, but I still love them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear Ryuji/Ann: Sorry if this is more of a request than a question, but tell us about your Ma.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: My Ma? Well, she is kind and a good person. She’s a single mom, but I’d say she is a very good mom! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: My family? Well, we used to travel a lot. I know they love me, but I don’t like to talk about it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear Any PT: Does your Persona grant you multilingual abilities in the real world (ex. Captain Kidd likely knew Scots and English, Carmen and Zorro knew Spanish, et cetera; can you understand those languages too?)? Akira/Joker, how many languages do you know with and/or without your many Personas?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: Considering the fact that our Personas are our ‘other selves’, yes, we can understand other languages! Arsene has helped me with understanding French! And with my other Personas… I can only understand their languages when I have them equipped. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: Yeah! Carmen helped me understand French and Spanish! It’s super cool!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Morgana: I have to agree, Zoro helps me understand Spanish as well!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: H*ll yeah! I can read and understand English and Scottish just fine with Captain Kidd’s help! I can even understand Pirate lingo! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Interesting! The next few questions are from MadameMirage77 of Ao3!</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>For Marinette, do you plan on designing any of your newfound friends any outfits?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette: Of course! I plan on making all my friends here in Japan outfits based off of their Phantom Thief attire!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>For Akira, why do you wear fake glasses?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: My fake glasses? They make me look more innocent. I started to wear them after my run in with that drunk guy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>For the Phantom Thieves, how would guys react if you got the chance to meet the people who ruined Marinette's reputation and believed the words of a pathological liar in France?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira, Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, and Morgana: *evil aura*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: We would have some… choice words with them…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette in the background holding up a side that says: Choice words = cuss them out and/or get into a fight with them! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Okay! Our next question is from Aus1356 of Ao3!</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear PT: Does Akira act like a cat?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone but Akira:... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: Don’t you dare-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Please stand by...)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*Akira tied up and gagged in the background*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Morgana: He acts like a cat when he gets tired. When he sleeps I could swear her purrs! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*Akira struggling against his restraints*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette: *Blushing a bit* I can confirm! When he dozes in class, I can hear him purr softly! It’s kind of cute! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*Akira is struggling even more with a red face*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ann: Okay, we’ll release you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*Ann and Marinette goes to free Akira*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Alright! Next question is from Superslash123 of Ao3! </b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>Dear PT, how do you feel about Akira's eyes changing color every now and then?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone but Akira:... (ಠ_ಠ)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: *Nervous sweating*</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette: It’s… a trick of the light… right? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yusuke: I always thought so… </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>*Ahem* The next question is from @FanofAnime-san of Wattpad: </b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>To Ryuji: when are you going to confess to Ann and kiss her? Don’t be a wuss and tell her how you feel.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji: Nah! She doesn’t like me like that! Besides, she deserves someone better than me… </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Oh, Ryuji… The next two questions are from @TrilogyOmegaBeyond of Wattpad: </b>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>To Akira: when are you going to confess to Marinette and kiss her? Don't be a wuss and tell her how you feel.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akira: W-well… erm… M-mari-san deserves someone with a better reputation than me… I would only drag her down… I like her a lot- wait kiss? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <span>To Marinette: have you heard of Super Smash Bros Ultimate and if you have how would you react if you and Cat Noir (or Kuro aka Akira) were in it?</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette: Oh! I have heard of it! A lot of my favorite video game characters are in that game! I would love to be invited along with Akira to participate in it! Though, I doubt we would be invited… </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(A/N: This takes place before Akira got invited to S.S.B.U)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>That’s it for now! I will most likely do this again in the future, but this was fun to do! Also, Akira, your face is red, are you okay?</b>
  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Incorrect quotes!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm bored and here is some randomness!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~+~</p>
<p>Marinette: You're the love of my life and my best friend, I would do anything for you.</p>
<p>Akira: I want you to eat three meals a day and have a decent sleep schedule.</p>
<p>Marinette: Absolutely not.</p>
<p>(A/N: Marinette is overworked)</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Akira: Oh just so you know, it's very muggy outside</p>
<p>Marinette:</p>
<p>Marinette: Akira, I swear, if I step outside and all of our mugs are on the front lawn...</p>
<p>Akira: *Sips coffee from bowl*</p>
<p>(A/N: Marinette was not amused)</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Akira: Lol heads up if you try to make a candle with food coloring, the food coloring will just sink to the bottom of the glass, and when the flame eventually reaches the bottom all the food coloring will catch fire and become one giant tall flame that you cannot possibly blow out and the glass will start to crack and then you'll throw your tea on it in a panic and then the extremely hot food coloring will boil and sizzle horribly and then the glass will shatter. Please take my word on this LMFAO!</p>
<p>Marinette: Akira, what did you do?</p>
<p>Akira: A MISTAKE!!</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Ryuji: Today is a day of running through hurdles.</p>
<p>Ann: Aren't you supposed to jump OVER hurdles?</p>
<p>Ryuji: Whatever. Fear is only something to be afraid of if you let it scare you.</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Akira: I'm going to defeat you with the power of friendship! ... And this knife I found.</p>
<p>Marinette: Akira, no...</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Akira: Mari-san and I don't use pet names.</p>
<p>Morgana: I see. Hey, what do bees make?</p>
<p>Akira: Honey?</p>
<p>Marinette: Yes, dear?</p>
<p>Akira:</p>
<p>Morgana: Don't ever lie to my face again.</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>
  <span class="u">During a Palace infiltration: </span>
</p>
<p>Mona: What do you think Joker will do for a distraction?</p>
<p>Princess: He'll probably, like, make a noise or throw a rock. That's what I would do.</p>
<p>*Building explodes and several car alarms go off*</p>
<p>Princess: ... or he could do that.</p>
<p>~+~</p>
<p>Ryuji, holding a python: Guys I impulsively bought a snake, what do I name him</p>
<p>Marinette: You did WHAT–</p>
<p>Akira: William Snakepeare</p>
<p>~+~</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had fun today...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 30: Our next target is what?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>(Marinette's pov)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> June 14th, Tuesday, on the roof of Shuji Academy, after school. Akira, Ryuji, Ann, and I stood together, facing Makoto, Morgana in Akira's bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I was thinking you might not show..." Makoto mused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, whose heart do you want us to change?" Ann asked, cutting to the chase. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A Mafia boss..." Makoto answered. My friends and I did a double-take. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, what?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I want you-" Makoto started, but Ryuji cut her off. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We heard you, but why?" Ryuji asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A group calls themselves a Mafia. They seem to be the cause of the recent rise in phishing scams. What's worse, once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their scams, threaten your family, and ultimately destroy your life." Makoto explained. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Holy s***..." Ryuji breathed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How cruel..." I said, putting my hand up to my mouth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It appears that their victims include some of our students," Makoto added. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No!" Ann gasped. I was starting to get angry. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They primarily target juveniles." Makoto finished. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright, Makoto-senpai. Can you give us the name of the boss?" I asked, praying that my rage did not show. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nobody knows. The victims are being threatened not to testify, so even the police can't get a grasp of the situation." Makoto answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's where you want us to start?!" Ann asked angrily. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You should be able to pull it off... if you're really the righteous Phantom Thieves. Or is Akechi-kun correct when he says you act without justice?" Makoto asked. This is getting on my nerves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Can't you say something witty back to her?" Morgana asked Akira quietly from his bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Something witty," Akira said without missing a beat. Why do I like this guy?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I knew you were going to say that..." Morgana sighed. I decided to intervene. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Makoto-senpai, we can't get much from "Mafia boss that targets kids," We need a name and other information. We don't want to target the wrong person." I explained. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Their main hub of activity is in Shibuya. That's all the information I have." Makoto said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You have two weeks. Once that has passed, I'll submit all the evidence I have to the police and the school. I hope you don't let me down..." Makoto told us before leaving. I let out a sigh. What are we going to do? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Timeskip! Brought to you by Morgana's Tuna!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next few days were full of information gathering. We questioned students, people on the street and surfed the internet. Then... on June 19th... we found something... We got a name! Junya Kaneshiro! I don't know how, but Akira managed to get his name! I don't know where he got it, but something tells me I don't want to know... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So, there we were. Standing around in Shibuya, waiting for Ryuji. When he arrived, he looked mad. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't believe you guys ditched me yesterday! I almost entered a world I want nothing to do with!" Ryuji yelled at Akira and Morgana. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh? What happened? Are you okay, Ryuji-kun?" I asked, walking up to Ryuji. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"These guys- never mind! Yusuke, open the app!" Ryuji said. Yusuke pulled out his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, I entered Kaneshiro's name into the nav.- and just as expected, it's a hit," Yusuke said, looking at his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Now for the other keywords... any ideas?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The only information we have is that he has control of Shibuya..." Morgana said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A place he has total control over... a garden?" Ryuji suggested. The Nav didn't react. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He likes money... maybe a money bath? I've seen people on the internet with things like that!" Ann said. No reaction... </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No... not even close..." Yusuke said, looking at his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Any ideas, you two?" Morgana asked Akira and me. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Let's see... He likes money... he has total control over the city... the man doesn't care who gets hurt as long as he gets his money... maybe... </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A bank?" Akira and I said at the same time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, aren't you two in sync?" Yusuke asked. The Nav then reacted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! We got a hit!" I said, trying to ignore what just happened. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>We then tried to think of a location. After a few minutes of discussion, Ryuji got frustrated. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Where in all of Shibuya is this guy's Palace?!" Ryuji raged. The Nav reacted to his words. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh? Did the Nav-?" I started. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes... it did!" Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Did I do something?" Ryuji asked, looking confused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That you did!" I told him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed, The place Kaneshiro thinks of as his bank is... All of Shibuya..." Yusuke said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"... lovely..." I muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Will it be okay if we just disappear in a big crowd like this?" Ann asked, looking around nervously. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nobody will notice if a piece of trash goes missing in a trash can. It'll be fine." Ryuji reassured her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In that case... let's go," Yusuke said, pushing a button on his phone. I felt the familiar sensation of being transported to the Metaverse all around me. As soon as the feeling left, I looked around and... what?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What am I looking at?" I asked, pointing in the direction of my line of sight. My friends turned to look where I was looking and also looked shocked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Walking A.T.Ms... that must be his cognition of people... so this is what Kaneshiro considers his bank..." Fox said, looking at the stream of A.T.Ms with arms and legs walking by. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm gonna be sick..." I said, holding my stomach. I felt someone pat my back soothingly. I looked up to find Joker patting my back. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Better?" He asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah... thanks..." I said, looking away and trying not to blush. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I never thought it would be the entire district," Mona said, stepping closer to the walking machines. He then turned to us. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Look around us... this distortion is affecting all of Shibuya." Mona said with a serious face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After some talking, we decided to explore. I was very unnerved by the surroundings. The city was covered in a green tint, and A.T.M machines with human limbs are creepy. It sickened me to the core, knowing that this man saw other human beings as objects to get money from. We talked to ones who looked broken, and they weren't much help. They just cowered and mumbled... looking so sad... one just downright keeled over when we talked to it. It did tell us that it had "fallen" somehow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After that, we stopped and talked for a little trying to decide what to do next. We were discussing what the A.T.M human meant when Panther and Skull saw something in the sky. We all looked up, and... why am I not surprised? A giant floating U.F.O-looking thing was flying above the city, sucking up the money floating in the air. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that it?" Skull asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Up in the air... no wonder we couldn't find it..." Fox said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It... kind of looks like a Roomba..." I said. Panther snickered at my comment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah~ it kind of does!" She said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Take this seriously, you two!" Mona scolded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahem... sorry. How will we get up there? Mona, can you turn into a helicopter or something?" I asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nope... I can only transform into a car..." Mona said sadly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Agh!! Come on! You're useless! Can't you just pull out a gadget or something?" Skull said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Calm down, Skull... Maybe we can use the Miraculous to help..." I suggested. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe... but we need to pull back..." Joker said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah... let's go back..." Mona agreed. We all nodded. Another palace to raid... oh, what fun~</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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